Darkness
by AnakinCaffrey
Summary: Anakin's life is extremely difficult. He has to deal with being completely different from the rest of the Jedi population. As the war continues, he will face several new challenges. [DISCONTINUED]
1. The Selection

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

If there's one thing I've learned in the last three hundred and five years, it's that you can't trust _anyone._

In my case, I can't trust the one person that I can actually call family.

"Obi-Wan, you can't be serious," I groaned. He'd kept me in his quarters all day, hoping that I'd be willing to listen to what he had to say to me. He told me that I needed a Padawan.

Who knows? Maybe he was right this time. Then again, maybe he wasn't. My recent activity in the temple hadn't been such a convincing point on my part, yet somehow the Council decided to allow me a Padawan.

They even allowed me to choose my own Padawan. I'd been forced upon Obi-Wan, seeing as though no one wanted to show me anything Force related. Jedi weren't supposed to feel fear, but there was always a great amount of fear in my presence.

"Anakin, you know me better than anyone."

I got up off of his bed and grabbed the bottle of Mandalorian wine from his small table. "That's so reassuring, Master."

He held his hand up in the air, pointing at me accusingly. "You don't know that you're right. You've made it this far. There's absolutely no turning back now. Also, don't drink the rest of that. I need some for tonight."

"Still down from your rejection?" I teased.

"If you weren't a hundred times stronger than me, I might actually challenge you. Anakin, lay off on the jokes for now. I knew it wasn't going to happen. She's the Duchess and I'm the Jedi."

"I'm the vampire that's going to compel her to fall in love with –"

"No," he said quickly. "Don't do that. If we're meant to be together, it'll happen."

I rolled my eyes and held the bottle up in the air, chugging down as much as I could in a gulp. "If you say so, Master."

"Come on. I think we've delayed the Council enough already. I hear a few of the younglings are eager to meet you."

"You and the Council are still the only ones that _know_, right?"

"Of course," he whispered. "If anyone else found out, you'd be at risk. Everything you've done to better yourself would be for nothing."

I put the bottle down onto the table. "Why am I being assigned a Padawan again?"

"It's a privilege to teach the next generation of Jedi, Anakin."

He got up from his chair and we walked out of the room side by side. "If this Padawan ends up dead in a lake –"

"He or she _won't _end up dead, Anakin. We wouldn't be forcing you into this if we didn't trust you. You've gained my trust and Master Yoda's trust. I know things have been hard lately, but you need to let go of your anger and despair. She's not going to come back. She's gone. You said it yourself, so I don't understand why you're putting yourself through this."

"I love her," I whispered, sighing. "I don't know why. She did this to me and I _love _her. It's been two hundred and eighty-three years. How am I still in love with her?"

"Attachments are hard to dissolve once they've formed. You told me yourself that you hate what you are. You hate her just as much as you love her. You need a _distraction._ You need _responsibility._"

"So giving me a _child _is giving me a responsibility and distraction? He'll probably be the death of me."

We entered the Council chambers. Five younglings were lined up before Masters Yoda and Windu. "Ah, Skywalker, we've been waiting for you."

I nodded and stepped forward. I glanced at the younglings. Two human males felt determined, yet afraid. The male Togruta felt superior and overconfident. The female Twi'lek felt nervous, but excited. The female Togruta felt… the most _different._ She seemed sad and unwilling.

I glanced at her face. I could see the fading bruises on her montrals and lekku. Her arms were bruised and she was trying to hide them by keeping her hands over specific areas.

"Anakin, these are the most skilled younglings of their class."

"Younglings," I greeted. "I'm Anakin Skywalker. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

The Twi'lek stared at me in awe and I forced myself to not make eye contact with her. My eyes traveled to Obi-Wan's face. "Introduce yourselves," Obi-Wan whispered, nodding at the first human male.

"I am Rutea Klyne." He was a red headed, arrogant young man. The way he spoke gave away his arrogance. His posture was nice, but forced. He seemed to want to impress me.

The second human male spoke up. "I'm Liam Ploid." He seemed determined and sure of himself. He was a possible candidate for my Padawan. He had a set mind.

I glanced at the male Togruta. "I am Jarkael Ly'son. I'm the greatest warrior of my tribe on Shili." He looked at the Togruti girl, giving her a menacing smirk.

I kept that in mind. He didn't seem like the type of kid I'd want to hang around with. The Twi'lek looked at me and smiled. This time, I actually _had _to look at her.

"I'm Lena Tyka. It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Skywalker." Once again, this child seemed to _want _to impress me. I could also see the lack of subtlety when it came to her attempts at flirting with me. The way she flung her headtails over her shoulders gave that away and I immediately pushed her out of my mind. Well, that was roughly three children down.

The last was the Togruti girl. She wasn't looking at me. She was staring at the floor. I raised my eyebrow as I stared at her. I crossed my arms over my chest and cleared my throat.

She jumped and looked at me, fear written clearly across her face. Instead of snapping at her for her lack of attention, I calmly asked, "What's your name?"

She stared into my eyes and I could see the pain in them. My lips parted as I felt her fear. "I can't do this," she whispered.

She ran out of the room, holding her face in her hand. Obi-Wan ran after her and I turned to face Master Yoda.

"Apologize, we do, for her actions," he whispered to me. He turned towards the younglings. "Dismissed, you are, until further notice."

They each nodded and filed out of the room.

"What was wrong with her?" I asked, curious.

"We aren't completely sure. The child seems to have a troubled past, yet she won't speak to anyone," Windu replied.

"Is she from the same tribe as Jarkael?"

They both nodded. I spanned my hearing out towards Obi-Wan and the girl. "_Young one, you must tell me what's going on. You're at the top of your class, yet you do not wish to exceed past the rank of youngling. You were offered a chance to have a Master, to become a Padawan. Why would you pass that up?_"

I heard their faint breaths and she remained silent. "_Youngling, you will tell me what's going on or I'll be forced to speak with the Council about this. You haven't spoken to anyone in quite some time. I believe it's progress that you spoke before the Masters today._"

"Excuse me," I muttered. I walked out of the room and around the corner. The girl was in tears while Obi-Wan stood in front of her.

I cautiously stepped towards them. "Master, may I speak with the girl?"

He turned around, eyeing me curiously. He nodded quickly and stepped back. "Be my guest." He walked up to me, heading back to the Council chambers. "She won't speak to anyone directly. You'll be lucky if you get anything out of her."

I nodded and he continued past me. I stared at the girl. Once again, she was looking at the floor. "Why don't you give me your name, little one?"

"Tano," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Is that your first name?"

She shook her head and lifted her hand to wipe her eyes. "Ahsoka."

"Okay," I said, drawing the word out. "Ahsoka, I'm Anakin." I held my hand out towards her.

She looked at my hand for almost a minute before gripping it with her own. She must have felt the hardness of my mechanical hand. Her grip tightened for a second before she pulled away.

"I hear you're not talking to anyone. Why is that?"

If she wasn't going to speak to me willingly, I'd have to _force _her to talk. I wanted to know what was up with her. She had no reason to fear me _yet._ "It's nothing. I apologize for the way I acted, Master. It was uncalled for."

I shrugged. "Hey, we aren't all perfect, little one. That's actually my point right now. I'm not perfect, you're not perfect. I can see the bruises that you're failing to hide."

Her blue eyes widened. "I – I don't –"

I stared into her eyes and began my compulsion spell. "Tell me what's troubling you."

Her eyes glazed over a bit. "I'm abused by my classmates."

"Why?"

"Because I have the highest ranking in the class."

"You sound like a good student, Ahsoka. You have no reason whatsoever to fear me," I said, lifting the spell. She gasped and blinked several times before looking directly at me.

"What happened?"

"You zoned out for a minute. Are you feeling any better?"

She stared at me and nodded. "A little bit."

"All right, little one, I believe you should go lie down for a little while."

I turned to leave, but her hand touched my arm. "Master, may I speak freely?"

I nodded and turned back to face her. I crossed my arms over my chest and watched her. "What's on your mind, kid?"

"What do you think of me after seeing how I acted in there?"

"I think you were just nervous and unsure of _yourself._ Your training skills are exceptional from what I hear, but perhaps your social skills are a bit lacking."

"You're going to choose Jarkael, aren't you?"

"I'm not sure yet, little one. I've met with those four, but I haven't met with you."

The eye markings above her left eye rose a little. "You want to talk to me?"

"I'm looking for someone with a decent personality. The one boy seemed pretty decent, but now that I've had time to talk to you, I feel like you're deserving of a better chance."

"Master, I…" she trailed off.

I felt her nervousness build up. I gently put my hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you don't have to apologize anymore. This isn't some healing session with Master Unduli. I'm just a friend to talk to."

"This is going to be the most selfish thing I've ever said in my life," she sighed. "Master, I hope you choose me as your Padawan. It's every youngling's dream to become a Padawan. I want to be free of the other younglings. I don't want to be at the top of my class again because…"

She must've forgotten that I'd already forced her to tell me. I rarely used compulsion, so I wasn't sure how it affected her. "If you give me names, I'll get the whole situation sorted out."

"What?" she asked quickly.

"Ahsoka, I know they're hurting you. I mean, just look at yourself. You're covered in bruises and scratches. It's kind of obvious."

She rubbed a scar on her wrist and bit her lip. I watched her put pressure on the lip until a small amount of blood trickled out.

My stomach and heart leapt towards her, wanting to drink every last ounce of her blood. "Hey," I said quickly, attempting to keep myself under control. "Don't do that. You're hurt enough as it is."

I heard her stomach growl and she quickly tried to hide it. "Hungry, little one?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

"Come on. Let's go to the mess hall."

"Master, I can't go in there. That's for higher ranking Jedi."

I smiled at her. "Well, then I guess you'd better get used to the higher ranks, _my Padawan._"

**A/N: Here's the rewritten first chapter. I've got inspiration this time, along with more ideas, so I'm hoping to update chapters as much as I can! Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	2. The Master and His Padawan

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Ahsoka stared at me from across the table. I'd gotten her a tray piled with food because I had no idea what she wanted. The ladies in here were attracted to me, so everything I wanted was pretty much free. I could use that to my advantage with my new Padawan around.

Her stomach continued to growl, yet her food sat in front of her. It had been untouched for almost fifteen minutes. "Why aren't you eating?" I growled, growing angrier by the minute.

"I can't eat all of this…" she whispered sadly. She pushed the tray towards me. "Why don't you eat some first?"

I wish I could tell her that the food I required was completely different from what she was offering me. "Ahsoka, you're the one dying of starvation here." I gently pushed the tray back towards her. "_You _eat first."

She sat up straighter and her lips trembled. "Master…"

"I mean it. _Eat._"

She slowly looked down at the food and picked up a piece of something. It looked like a bunch of meat covered in gravy. To a mortal, it would look appetizing, but to an immortal, it looked like slop.

She eyed it nervously before biting her lip. "You're so close," I whispered. "Just eat it already."

Tears built up in her eyes and she slammed the meat down onto the tray. I sighed in frustration, rubbing my temples. "Look at me," I whispered.

She looked into my eyes and I began to compel her again. "Eat as much as you want," I commanded.

"I'm going to eat as much as I want."

My mouth twitched as I gave her a half smile. "Good."

I sat back and allowed the compulsion to wear off. She dove into the food, eating viciously. I watched in awe. It's been a while since I watched a mortal eat this way.

After ten minutes, half of the tray was cleared. I held my hands in front of my face, leaning my chin on my knuckles. She finally stopped eating and looked at me. I saw the blank look leave her eyes and life come back into them.

She clutched her head and I quickly stood up. "Are you all right?"

"I feel weird." She looked up at me, raising her eye markings. "Sit down, Master. You're a little _too _jumpy."

I chuckled, sitting back down on the bench. "How are you feeling?"

"_Full. _I don't know why I ate that much. I barely saved anything good for you…" she sighed. "I'm sorry."

I shrugged, taking the tray from her. "I'm not all that hungry anyway."

I stood up and began to walk towards a waste chute to dump the contents of the tray down. I heard her run to catch up with me. "Master, can I ask you something?"

"That depends on the question."

"I've… heard rumors about you. I don't want to hurt our Master and Padawan relationship yet, but I want to clear a few things up."

I dumped the tray and set it down on a small table before turning around to face her. I crossed my arms over my chest and raised my right eyebrow. "Well?"

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-two."

"Oh," she whispered. She looked away from me for a moment, biting her lip. "Have you ever… _killed _someone?"

"Yes."

She looked a little shocked that I answered her honestly, but this relationship had to be built from trust. "Have you ever…" she trailed off, biting her lip again. "Master, did you drink someone's blood?"

I lost every bit of composure and stared at her with widened eyes. "Why would you ask me something like that?"

"Someone claims that they saw you drink from one of the Knights…"

"Delusional child," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

She sighed in relief. "I'm glad to hear that's not true."

I gave her another half smile. I was just glad that I didn't have to think of a way to lie to her. She believed me by facial expressions.

I heard snickers in the hallway, so I spanned my hearing out towards the sounds. I heard the voices of the arrogant younglings from earlier. "_She's so goin' ta get it when she comes out without Master Skywalker._"

"_Oh, yeah. She doesn't deserve to be his Padawan. I wonder what they're talking about anyway._"

I looked up at the entrance across the hall and saw the two boys looking at us. Once their eyes met mine, they immediately backed out of view. "_Hey, we need to be careful! Do you think he saw us?_"

I glanced at Ahsoka. She looked a little tired and worn out. "I'll be right back, okay?"

She gave me a nervous look. "Where are you going?"

"I just… need to clear up some things with someone. Stay here, please."

She nodded and watched me walk away from the table. It took everything in me to keep up the human pace. Once I felt her thoughts travel elsewhere and her eyes off of me, I flashed across the hall. "_I don't think he saw us. The guy is probably thinking about –_"

"Do you two have a problem with the youngling in there?" I asked. I leaned on the doorway and crossed my arms.

They both jumped. "Master," they quickly greeted, bowing.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Well?"

"Master, may I speak freely?" Jarkael asked.

I shrugged and waved my hand for him to continue. "That youngling isn't what she claims to be. She's not a perfect Jedi. She's done a lot of things against the book and completed things by using her own methods. She's also not into men the way you think she might be. She's totally –"

"Are you going to continue spouting lies to me? If so, I might have to get Master Yoda involved. I _know _what you're doing to her. You'd better watch your back from now on, kid. Ahsoka's _my_ Padawan."

"Did you make it official?"

"I was making sure she _ate _before I went back to the Masters."

I heard a squeal from inside of the mess hall. I glanced to the left to see the one boy gone. How did I let him go unnoticed? I turned around and ran back into the mess.

I flashed quickly over to the other entrance that she was being dragged out of. I leapt towards her and used a minimal amount of the Force to push Rutea away from her. She fell out of his arms and I quickly stepped closer to catch her. She gripped my arms and stared up at me.

"How did you get here so fast?" Rutea gasped, staring at me with widened eyes.

I growled at him, trying to keep my fangs from coming out too early in the day. I couldn't help it if my eyes looked a little _too _menacing.

"Stay _away _from _my _Padawan," I whispered through my teeth. I found myself wondering why I was acting so protective of her. Then again, it could just be the fact that she smelled _wonderful. _I watched her blood pulse in her neck as she was only inches away from my body.

I licked my lips and felt my fangs coming in. "I apologize, Master," Rutea said quickly, forcing me to focus on him once again.

Ahsoka put her hand on my chest and looked up at me. "Master, relax, please."

I closed my eyes and breathed through my mouth. "If I _ever _see or hear you tormenting her again, you will be in a galaxy of trouble. When someone gets on my list, they don't escape it very easily."

He backed away and ran. Ahsoka watched him run away in shock. She turned to face me completely and stared into my eyes. "Why would you do that for me?"

"You're my Padawan. It's my duty to protect you, isn't it?"

She shrugged. "I guess so. I'm not hungry anymore. What do we do now?"

I forced a smile, attempting to comfort her. I could hear her little heart beating quickly. She was anxious. "Well, I have to go tell the Council that I've chosen my apprentice. The rest of the day is yours unless _you _want to do something."

"I heard that you're trained very well with your lightsaber…" she trailed off. "Do you think we'd have time to practice at all today?"

"Sure."

I waved for her to follow me. "We've got to take care of other things first. I've got a few reports to fill out…"

She nodded and followed me out of the mess hall. We walked back down to the Council chambers to meet with Masters Windu and Yoda.

The two were speaking with Obi-Wan across the room. I held one finger up to my lips, telling Ahsoka to stay silent as I listened to what was being said. "_What if he isn't ready for this?_"

Obi-Wan sighed. "_He _is _ready. He's been clean for nearly six months and he's been here for –_"

"_Three years,_" Windu growled. "_Three years and he's _still_ unstable. I don't want to send out a death letter to the girl's family._"

My chest tightened and I frowned. I thought that they might actually start to respect me since I hadn't killed anyone recently, but I guess that didn't matter. "Master, what's wrong?"

I glanced down at her and realized that my teeth were clenched, as well as my fists. "Nothing's wrong."

"I can feel your anger," she whispered.

"_He heard us._"

I closed my eyes and crashed against the wall for a minute. I felt her hand touch my wrist. "Master, what's going on?"

I opened my eyes to see her concerned ones not too far from my face. "Never mind," I sighed. "Let's just get this over with."

I stood up and she backed away. I walked into the chamber and saw the three Masters facing me. I walked into the center of the room and bowed with a small amount of respect for them.

"Anakin –"

"Save it," I whispered, growling. Obi-Wan sighed and nodded. "I'm just here to inform you of my decision. I've chosen Ahsoka as my apprentice."

Windu and Yoda nodded thoughtfully and Obi-Wan smiled down at her. I glanced at her. She was standing beside me with her arms crossed in a nervous gesture. She looked up at me and her eyes locked with mine.

I couldn't hear her thoughts very well. It was probably because she was a Togruta. I could never really get a decent enough fix on their mind. I heard bits and pieces. The most I got from her mind were small screams and faint memories that haunted her.

Windu stepped forward and handed me a string of Silka beads. I turned to the expectant Togruta and motioned for her to spin around. Slowly, she spun in a circle, her back facing me now. I reached up to the beads that were at the top of her montrals. They hung over the back slightly.

I attached the Silka beads to the other line and hung them over her shoulder. I gently guided her shoulders until she faced me. I smiled warmly at her though it was forced. "It is a great honor to serve as your Master, Ahsoka. I hope to go on several adventures with you and teach you as much as I possibly can. I hope to see you become a talented Jedi in the future."

She smiled up at me and stepped forward. Her arms lifted slightly, but she quickly regained herself. She bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Master."

Once she stood to her full height, I smiled. I could see a bit of indecisiveness in her eyes and I wondered what she was thinking.

She closed her eyes and moved closer to me. Her arms wound around my waist tightly, fingers gripping my tunic just as tightly.

I stood there with my arms up in the air. I was surprised by the gesture, but I guess it was all right. I put my arms around her gently, not wanting to break her bones in the process.

It's been a long time since I actually hugged someone…


	3. Invasion of Privacy

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

We made it back to Master Skywalker's – _our _quarters. I had to keep reminding myself that this was actually happening. I was a Padawan now. I was free from the younglings that I wished would leave me alone.

The room was pretty dull and only had _one _bed. He stopped in the middle of the room and turned around to rub his neck nervously. "I'll have a bed brought in for you soon. For the time being, you can use mine, if you'd like to."

I nodded and he turned around again, walking towards a desk in the corner of the room. He grabbed his holopad and began flipping through things.

I sat on the edge of his bed and watched him.

After a few minutes of silence, he looked up from the pad. "Do you want to go do something?"

"You're doing something else, Master. Finish that."

"It's just a mission report," he said, shrugging. "I can fill it out later. It's your first day as a Padawan. You shouldn't sit there and watch me do something I really don't want to do in the first place."

I smiled weakly at him. "I don't know what I want to do. I don't mind watching you."

He raised his right eyebrow, giving me a weird look. "Well, you think of something and get back to me on that, all right?"

I nodded and he slowly went back to writing his report.

I got up and walked over to him. Maybe I could learn a few things through watching this. I leaned against the wall and watched him scribble numbers across the pad. "What do those mean?"

He looked over his shoulder. "Death total," he whispered.

"Oh."

His eyes grew saddened. I hadn't fought beside the clones yet, but I heard that the Generals were quite attached to their battalions – some of them anyway. Master Skywalker must have been one of those Generals.

He wrote about taking over a Separatist outpost in the Outer Rim. This report made his battle seem pretty easy, if you didn't look at the amount of clones lost…

"How can you be so calm when you're writing this?"

"I'm not," he sighed, looking up at me. "I'm really upset with this report. I've never lost so many of my men before."

"I'm sorry, Master."

He shook his head. "It's all right."

"Who was in command of the outpost when you got there?"

"Have you heard of General Grievous?" When I nodded, he continued. "That _thing _was in charge. He let the outpost fall. He was able to flee before we had the chance to pursue him…"

"We'll catch him someday, Master."

"I _plan _to," he growled.

After about twenty minutes, he signed his name quickly and sent the report. He set the holopad down on the desk and turned around to look at me completely. "Well, have you thought of anything you'd like to do today?"

I bit my lip. I hadn't thought of _anything._ The only thing that had been running through my mind the entire time was _him._ I'd heard so much about him since he'd come to the temple. I was surprised that he'd been allowed to become a Knight so quickly, but they must have seen his skill.

"Ahsoka?"

Every time his lips moved or his eyes met mine, I was mesmerized. I knew it was against the Code to form an attachment, but we were supposed to be close, right? I wouldn't allow anything to progress past a Master and Padawan relationship.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "I'm fine, Master."

He stood up and stretched for a moment. It was almost as if he knew he was entertaining me. My thoughts began to run wild again as I stared at his muscles.

He relaxed and sighed. "Well, I think I'm going to go refresh myself. Do you need anything first?"

"No. I'm fine. Go _refresh _yourself."

He gave me a very blank look before walking over to his dresser. He pulled out a spare – _spare _– Jedi outfit. How many of those things did Jedi carry? He must wear the same armaments with each outfit.

I watched him walk into the refresher and my heart finally drew my attention. I hadn't realized that it was beating so quickly. He… _excited _me.

Within moments, the water began running. In a way, I wanted to see him while he was in there…

I forced myself to stop thinking about him like that. I'd just officially met him and he was my _Master._ He was the first person to really look at me and not make me feel awkward. I was perfectly comfortable with him now.

I just felt something different from him. He didn't seem like he was the hero everyone claimed he was. I felt a bit of darkness about him, but I thought that maybe it was just part of his personality. People had been saying things about him since he came to the temple. It was understandable that he'd feel a bit neglected if anything.

I walked over to his bed and sat down on it. I bounced on it gently for a few moments, lost in boredom. I flipped onto my stomach and laid down, resting my head on the pillow. I put one arm beneath the pillow and felt something.

I raised my left eye marking and pushed myself up. I moved the pillow towards the wall and revealed a small book, almost like a journal. Curious, I flipped the cover. There was no date, but there was a lot of elegant handwriting across the lined paper.

I knew it was wrong to dive into one's privacy, but he wasn't around to see it at the moment. I began to read what he'd written.

"_Where one has been is only the past. It's only a matter of time before we return to that past though. What am I supposed to look forward to? This eternity of nothingness is very dull. Obi-Wan is the only one that trusts me. Everyone else thinks I'm going to snap and lose control. Even I can't trust myself. I'd hurt Master Secura after getting wasted, but I had successfully forced her to forget the incident. If only it worked on me as well._"

I grew even more curious. He'd hurt Master Secura before? I continued. "_I wouldn't have to deal with this if I hadn't met the two-faced liar so many years ago on Tatooine. Ever since I left that… words can't describe how horrible she was. I'll always love her, but I hate her for what she did to me. If I hadn't fallen for her pathetic charm, I wouldn't have become this monster. I hate myself for –_"

"Don't you know how _rude _it is to read someone else's _personal _writings?" a deep voice, growled behind me.

I jumped and threw the journal to the floor, turning around to stare at my Master in fear. "I-I'm s-s-sorry, M-master," I whispered, fearing his glare.

His hair was still soaked and he only had his pants and knee high boots on. He quickly crossed the room and bent down to pick the journal up. The way he looked at it as he was grabbing it told me how important it was to him and I could feel nervousness amidst his anger.

"Please forgive me," I whispered, getting off of his bed.

He ignored me and walked over to his dresser, slamming the journal onto the surface of it. I cringed as he bent over his dresser and began to growl lowly.

I walked over to him and touched his exposed left side. He felt so warm, but he flinched away from my touch. "Master –"

"Just stop, all right?" he asked, looking over his shoulder a bit, but not making eye contact with me. "I'm trying to calm down and you _touching _me is _not _making things any better for me right now. Just go sit down, please."

I bit my lip and walked back over to the bed, sitting down as he asked me to.

After almost five minutes, he must have calmed down. He straightened up and pulled out a comfortable shirt to wear. It wasn't the tunic he'd pulled out earlier. Maybe he just wanted a day off, which was understandable.

When he turned around, he seemed to have relaxed more so. He had a blank stare and a frown on his face. I stood up and immediately began walking towards him. "I'm so –"

"It's no big deal. How far into it did you get?"

"I read a little bit about Master Secura and a little about how you think you're a monster. Is there something I need to know?"

He shook his head. "It was a bad night and she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Oh." I thought a little more. "You said you'd always love '_her_.' Were you talking about Master Secura?"

I watched his eyes darken and his felt his anger flare. "No. I was _not _talking about Master Secura. The '_her_' I was referring to is someone I'd rather not talk about."

"Jedi aren't supposed to feel attachment –"

"I loved her long before I became a Jedi, little one. I've gotten over her, so I'm not breaking any rules."

I let that sink in for a moment before I continued. "Master, what happened to her? Did she hurt you?"

His eyes met mine and I could see the sadness in them. "She hurt me so much, but it's in the past. She attempted to find me recently, but…"

"Did she?"

"Yes," he whispered.

"What did you do?"

"Let's just say – in simple terms – that I fought her…" he trailed off. "That's all I'm going to say about her."

I nodded, feeling like I'd crossed further into his privacy. I looked at the floor and bit my lip. The last thing I wanted to do right now was overstep my boundaries. I didn't want to disappoint him, nor did I want to lose him.

I lifted my head to see him looking at the floor sadly. I stepped closer to him and rested my hand on his chest, feeling his warmth beneath it. "Master, if it makes you feel any better, I love someone, too."

"Oh?"

"Yes, but I know there's nothing I can do about it. Our lives demand other things and we can't be together."

"I see," he whispered. "Over time, you'll learn to forget the attachment."

"What happens if the attachment doesn't fade over time? I see _him _a lot…"

"I've gotten over my attachment, but that's only because I've been away from her for so long. Distance yourself from him and it'll work wonders."

I internally groaned. How was I supposed to distance myself from him? I was bound to him through our partnership. I was still unsure as to how I'd already fallen for him. He hadn't talked to me until we met in the Council chambers…

"Are you all right?"

I nodded. "Of course," I said, smiling up at him. I just realized that my hand was still on his chest and my fingers had tightened around his shirt, gripping it. I let go and he raised his right eyebrow at me.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes, Master."

"Ahsoka –"

"So what are we going to do today? Your report is done and you seem to be out of uniform," I interrupted, trying to change the subject.

He sighed. "Well, I thought that maybe I could welcome you a bit and take you shopping… and then I caught you with my journal…"

"It'll never happen again," I said quickly. "You don't have to take me out if you don't want to, Master. I can go on my own later."

He shrugged. "I'm off for the day, so you are, too. Do you want to go out?"

I had to remind myself that he was just taking me on a shopping spree. I couldn't take it as anything else, nor could I spend too many of his credits. He was being very kind after I'd done something so stupid.

"Sure, Master. It sounds like fun."

I smiled up at him and he forced a weak one in return.


	4. To the Shop

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

I glanced up at Master Skywalker as he was flying through the crowded air flights. He swore under his breath after getting cut off three times. Once, he'd actually gone off on someone who came close to hitting us.

If his anger towards me in the dorm was bad, this was _worse._ He finally landed in the market and I sighed. "What was the sigh for?"

I looked at him again and bit my lip. "Sorry."

"I know," he whispered. "I'm a terrible pilot when it comes to dealing with people in this city, but I'm not _that _bad, Ahsoka."

"I know, Master. I never said you were a bad person."

He smiled and it took my breath away. "I'll try to limit the profanities next time. I'm supposed to set an example for you. Just… don't tell Obi-Wan about it, all right?"

"I promise."

After a few moments of sitting in the speeder, we got out. I'd waited patiently for him to cool off and he'd done just that. We started walking through the half crowded streets of upper Coruscant. "Stay close to me, Ahsoka."

"Why?" I asked, curious. Of course I'd stay close to him. Where else _could_ I go?

"We may be in the upper level, but there's just as much scum here as there is in the under city."

He led me into a very elegant shop. The clothes looked very expensive. "Master –"

"Just get what you want and meet me at the counter in twenty minutes."

"How much am I allowed to spend?"

"As much as you want. I've got enough to buy the whole place if you're that concerned. Just have fun and get some things that you really like."

"Does it have to be something I can fight in?"

He shook his head. "No. You can get an outfit if you'd like, but just get something to sleep in or something comfortable…" he trailed off, getting a bit nervous. "Just find some nice clothes you can wear for any occasion. I'm going to do a bit of… _looking _for myself, so I'll be around."

I chuckled. "You shop?"

He walked away from me, muttering, "Twenty minutes, Ahsoka."

I rolled my eyes and began to walk around, looking at all of the nice dresses and outfits. There were a few things I needed. For instance, I needed new boots. The ones I had on were worn out beyond repair from all of the trainings I'd done as a youngling.

I found some maroon boots with a matching skirt and tube top. "You a Jedi?"

I turned around after hearing a masculine voice. A Rodian was staring at me with bug eyes. "No."

"What's this?" he asked, reaching behind my montrals to lift my Padawan braid. I bit my lip and became a little frightened.

"It's something my mother gave me when I was younger," I said quickly, turning away again.

He yanked on my rear lek and held me against his chest. A blaster was aimed at my montrals. "You'd make a wonderful servant for my buddy. How good do you dance?"

I threw my arm back, attempting to jab him with my elbow, but he pinned my arm behind my back. "Help!" I screamed. His arm with the blaster wound around my neck and I couldn't breathe.

A gust of wind blew past me and my breath came back in a rush. I fell to my hands and knees. I coughed for a moment, fingers loosely around my neck. I turned around to see my Master, his anger boiling. The blaster had been completely smashed and the man looked pretty beat up.

"Leave her alone," he growled.

"I-I-I knew you were a J-Jedi!"

I felt like his anger was getting out of control. He was going down a path that I didn't want him to follow. An extreme amount of the dark side was emanating from his being.

I got up and ran over to his crouched form. "Master –"

He got up and his eyes were a deep red coloring, sharp teeth were bared. "What in the –"

He turned away from me and sank his teeth into the man's neck. I screamed as a sucking sound began. He quickly pulled away and threw the Rodian to the ground. Again, I screamed. I spun around and began to run.

Another gust of wind blew past me and he was in front of me. He quickly grabbed me and sped into an alley. He pushed me against a wall and I began to breathe heavily. "Ahsoka, please, don't be afraid of me," he gasped. "I didn't mean to do that."

"What are you?"

"I'm your Mast –"

I screamed again and he put his flesh hand over my mouth. "Can you stop doing that?"

I closed my eyes and tears began to stream down my cheeks. If anything, I was more afraid of him than I had been of the Rodian.

His mechanical hand stroked the side of my face gently. "I'm not going to hurt you. I was trying to protect you and I lost it."

He slowly began to remove his hand from my mouth and I opened my eyes to stare into his. "I won't hurt you. I promise you that."

I opened my mouth to scream, but I felt like I was being strangled. He wasn't even touching my neck, so it wasn't like he was forcing me to remain silent. He looked so pained, almost to the point where I thought _he _was going to cry.

"Ahsoka, I'm going to make you forget."

"No!" I pleaded. "I don't want to experience this again!"

"I can't let you remember this. I'm sorry."

He stared into my eyes and I could see how intensely he was doing it.

My world melted away…

**Later.**

I groaned and stretched a little, feeling a carpeted floor. "Ahsoka, are you all right?" a deep voice asked.

I opened my eyes and saw my Master's concerned expression hovering above me. A bright light was above him. "What… what happened?"

"You passed out," he said slowly. "You were looking at one of the outfits and you just fainted. How are you feeling now?"

He helped me stand up a little, holding onto me as if I were going to fall again. I looked around me to see the shop. I remembered being brought here on a shopping spree. My head was spinning and began to ache. "My head hurts," I whispered, rubbing my temples.

"You hit your head pretty hard, Ahsoka. Do you want to go back to the temple?"

"I'll be fine," I said, shaking my head. "I think I'll just get one outfit for the moment."

He nodded. "Which one were you looking at?"

I glanced around and saw the maroon set. I pointed at it and his jaw dropped. "You want to wear _that?_"

"I have some leggings I could wear under the skirt, Master. I need clothes that are flexible so I don't get stuck on the battlefield."

He seemed to tense up beside me and I stared up at his face, seeing the indecisiveness. "Go get it."

"You don't seem like you want –"

"It's not my decision. Go get it if you want it."

I nodded and walked over to the area it was resting in. I grabbed the right size for both pieces and took the boots. I held everything in one arm and turned around to smack into his chest. "Geez. Close much?" I teased.

"Sorry," he muttered, growing flustered again. He turned a bit and stepped away from me slightly.

I put my hand on his back and stared up at him. I reached his shoulders, so I didn't have to look _too _far up. "Are you okay, Master? You're acting different."

"I'm fine. I'm just a little worried about you. You ate enough and yet you still fainted…"

"Don't worry, Master. I'm sure it was a onetime thing. I feel fine now." I wasn't lying to him. The pain in my head was finally beginning to wear off.

"I hope it was," he whispered, shuddering a bit.

I decided to push that out of my mind, not wanting to make him more uncomfortable with talking about this. He didn't seem to want to talk about a lot of things with me.

"Did you find anything you liked here?"

"Kind of, but it doesn't matter. I just want to make sure you're all right and that you got something nice."

"I'm fine and I got this. If I find something else, I'll let you know. Let's go find you something."

"We could just check out if you're –"

"Come on, Master." I grabbed his mechanical hand and dragged him towards his section of the shop. He didn't seem to appreciate the fact that I was holding his hand, but he didn't shrug away from me.

"Ahsoka, the things I need are probably going to make you –"

"You do realize that the youngling trainer was a male and that I had other males in my class, correct? I've seen a lot of things that have made me uncomfortable, Master. You're fine."

He stared at me, unsure. "If you make me uncomfortable, don't think that I won't return the favor," I teased.

He rolled his eyes and finally calmed down. He grabbed a few pairs of underwear, a couple undershirts, some deodorant, two bottles of hair gel, and two toothbrushes.

As he carried everything back to the feminine section, I laughed. "See? That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

He muttered something that I couldn't quite comprehend. I raised an eye marking and smirked. "Oh, hang on, Master. I need something else."

"Why do I have a bad feeling all of a sudden?"

"It's not so bad," I chuckled. I walked towards the feminine accessories and picked up a few undergarments for myself, grabbing a nightgown as well. I picked out a few matching sets and turned around to face him. "By the Force…" he trailed off, closing his eyes. "Are you done?"

"Hang on."

I walked towards the bathing items section and pulled down some things I could use to wash myself with during a shower later. I didn't want to use his. That would be… awkward, to say the least. I did, however, plan to figure out what kinds of soap he used.

"Now?"

"Yep."

He nodded and we walked over to the checkout counter. We set everything down and the woman stared at him like he was insane. She began to price everything and it all summed up to be about four hundred credits.

My jaw dropped as he handed them over without any hesitation. I looked up at him apologetically. Most of this had been _my _stuff.

He seemed distracted, but finally looked down at me. "What's wrong?"

I mouthed 'four hundred credits' to him and he smiled. "It's all right, Ahsoka. I want you to feel welcome. Nothing is too much. Now, if we went over four thousand credits, I might get a bit upset with you, but not very much."

The woman put everything into six bags and we exited the shop. He carried five of the six bags, not wanting me to do very much.

We got back into the speeder and he calmly flew us back to the temple.

This time, he took all of the bags, leaving me empty-handed. I sighed and rolled my eyes, hopping over the side of his speeder.

He walked into the temple and I ran to catch up with him. I stared up at his face and smiled. He looked a little happier and calmer. "What's up, Ahsoka?"

"Nothing much, Master. I just like to see you like this."

He chuckled. "Kiddo, you've only been here for a few hours. You've seen nothing yet."

"Are you happy with me or did I disappoint you?"

"Why would I be – well, I was a little _upset _with what you did earlier, but you said you'd never do it again. I'm not disappointed in you, Ahsoka. I'm completely happy with you. You're good company. I'm looking forward to seeing your skills when we train together."

I smiled at him. I just hoped he wouldn't hurt me _too _badly when we trained. I'd heard that he was _really_, really strong…


	5. The First Night

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

As the evening went by, things got a bit more awkward than they had been during the shopping event. I'd begun having very… _inappropriate _thoughts concerning my young feminine Padawan. For one, I'd thought about sinking my teeth into her. The clothes she bought made my senses go wild and I didn't know what to do to control myself. I thought that perhaps it was just me falling for her sweet scent, but I liked her personality – the true reason behind my search for a Padawan.

I was sitting at my desk reading news articles on the HoloNet and she was sitting on my bed, reading one of her holobooks that she'd brought in here with her. I glanced up from my holopad and watched her for a moment. She looked… _sweet _to say the least. I wanted to taste her blood. I could smell its – _no!_

I looked down at my holopad again. The bloodlust was taking over the rest of my body. I hadn't even felt this way about Padme all those years ago. Perhaps that was because her blood had dried by the time I'd met her…

That fake smile had drawn me in and I'd fallen for such a dirty trick. I'd ruined my life… and I was doomed to live for eternity.

A crunch brought me back to reality. I hadn't realized that I'd zoned out, but my holopad was completely smashed. I put my face in my palm and sighed deeply. I glanced up at Ahsoka to see her staring at me sadly. "What's wrong, Master?"

"Nothing that concerns you, Ahsoka."

"Are you thinking about her again?"

I gaped at her, not understanding how she'd figured that one out. "How did you –?"

"You looked angry. I could feel your pain, too, so I had a feeling."

She laid her holo down and slid off of the bed, coming closer to me and allowing her sweet scent to burn my nostrils and fill me with pleasure…

"Do you want to talk about her?"

"Not entirely."

I looked up at her to see her frown again. I immediately wanted to fix that frown. Every time someone gave me a look like that, I wanted to kill myself. I hated depressing those closest to me…

"What do you want to know about her?" I whispered, lowering my head.

"Master, I don't want to pressure you into talking to me. If you don't want to talk about her, then you don't have to."

"I…" I trailed off, shaking my head.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk," I whispered.

I stood up and she rammed herself into my body. "Don't leave, Master. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Her close proximity was making me uncomfortable. I wasn't sure how much more of it I could stand. A knock on the door distracted her momentarily and I quickly moved around her, moving to open the door.

It slid open to reveal my former Master. "Hello, you two," he greeted, smiling at Ahsoka.

She came to stand beside me. "Hello, Master Kenobi."

"I just came down to see how things were going. Has your new Master made you feel at home or am I going to have to scold him?"

I grumbled something that he couldn't hear and he chuckled. "Actually, Master Skywalker has been very kind to me since my arrival. He took me out for a little while and bought me some new clothing. He was very generous, as a Jedi should be." She turned her head to smile up at me.

"I see."

My eyes met his and he whispered so only I could hear him. "Any incidents I should know about?"

It didn't sound like he was really asking. It sounded as if he already knew about what I'd done while we were out. "Ahsoka, could you excuse Master Kenobi and me for a moment?"

Her smile faltered, but she nodded. "Yes, of course, Master."

I heard her say, "I hope he doesn't tell him…"

I rolled my eyes and we stepped outside, allowing the door to slide to a close behind us. "You're very lucky that you didn't get caught. You promised you were going to stop all of this bloodshed, Anakin."

"He tried to assault her!" I whispered, getting a bit upset. "You _must _have seen that much at least!"

"I did, but that's no reason for you to kill him the way you did."

"He was bug scum, Obi-Wan. He had to –"

"Scum or not, no one deserves an end like that."

"If you're going to tell me that I'm not supposed to protect my Padawan, then –"

"I'm not saying that you aren't supposed to protect her, but there are other ways of going about it, Anakin. You never had to kill anyone over me, so why are you starting this? Are you _that _thirsty?"

"No. I don't even know what I was thinking. I just didn't want her to get hurt…"

"I know you're still troubled over the Padme situation, Anakin, but do _not _let your Padawan become the next Padme. She is your student, not your –"

"I know," I growled through my teeth. "I don't plan on falling in love with her. She's fifteen, Obi-Wan, and she has so much to live for. I couldn't do that to her. _That _is why I had to wipe her memory. You should have seen the way she looked at me…" I trailed off, knowing he could feel how much pain I was going through. "It broke my heart to see her look at me that way. She screamed and it… it hurt so much…"

I closed my eyes and couldn't help but hear her scream and look at her terrified expression. His hand rested on my shoulder. "I'm truly sorry, Anakin. I wish you didn't have to go through this. If there's anything I can do to help you, please, let me know."

I realized that I'd completely lost all of my control. Anger and depression washed out of me and Obi-Wan was attempting to help me. I sighed and pulled everything back inside of me like I always do. I can control my emotions better than anyone else – for the most part.

"Don't do that, Anakin. You're not emotionless –"

"She's at the door," I whispered, smelling Ahsoka's closeness behind the door. She couldn't hear me, but Obi-Wan could.

He nodded. "I'll take my leave then. Just be careful, Anakin. Don't do anything you'll regret later, all right?"

"Yes, Master. Have a good night."

He turned to walk away and I glanced over my shoulder at the door. I stepped closer to it and waved my hand over the panel to open the door. It slid open and Ahsoka jumped. "M-master!" she said in surprise.

"I knew you were there," I muttered, walking past her.

**Three hours later.**

"Master, it's your bed. I can sleep on the floor. I really don't mind."

I groaned in frustration. "Just go to sleep. I'll be fine. I'll have a second bed in here for you tomorrow."

"Please, just sleep on _your _bed, Master."

We'd been arguing about this for an hour. I was getting fed up with trying to be nice to her because she wouldn't accept my kindness. I stood up from my desk chair and stormed across the room, lying down on the bed.

I crossed my arms over my chest and closed my eyes. If she wasn't going to sleep on it, then I guess I was. I was tired…

The bed dipped behind me and I turned over. "Oh, so _now _you'll sleep on the bed?"

She frowned when I said that. "It's your bed…"

"I don't think this is very appropriate, Ahsoka…"

"I promise I won't touch you. I won't even face you if you don't want me to."

I groaned and rolled my eyes, turning to face the wall again. I closed my eyes as her back pressed up against mine. Of all of the awkward things that could possibly happen tonight, this had to be the _most _awkward.

**The next morning.**

I groaned as a bright light shined through the window on the other end of the room. It was _directly _shining in my eyes.

I felt warm skin against my chest. I hadn't even gone to sleep without my shirt on. I sat up quickly, knocking the small Togruta girl off of the bed. I extended my arm, reaching out for my gray shirt. I pulled it over my head and looked down at Ahsoka.

I'd obviously knocked her off of the bed pretty roughly. Tears were in her eyes and she was holding her lek. "Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head and bit her lip. I watched her stand up quickly. "I'll… be right back," she said quickly, running into the refresher.

Once the door slid to a close, I felt my teeth with my tongue. Okay, my fangs weren't out, so I hadn't bitten her during the night. That thought alone made me sigh in relief.

I slid off of the bed and walked towards the refresher, knocking lightly on the door. "Ahsoka?"

"Hang on," she said, her voice strained.

I thought about whether or not I should go in. She'd invaded my privacy, so it was only _slightly _fair to return the favor. I burst through the door and she jumped. She quickly tried to wipe her eyes and I gently grabbed her hand. "Let me see."

"I'm fine, Master," she whispered, backing up.

I pulled her closer to me with my left hand and grabbed her hip with my right. "Hold still so I can look at it."

I gently lifted my hand from her hip and held her lek. She cringed a bit, but kept looking at my face. A small bruise was beginning to form in the center of the lek on one of the blue stripes. "Do you want me to run down to the medbay to get you something to ease the pain?"

"No. It's fine. I'm sorry for last night."

"What happened?"

"You fell asleep pretty quickly and I lost control of myself. I took your shirt off without waking you up and I was able to fall asleep quickly. I liked feeling the warmth of your skin against mine…"

I gaped at her for a few minutes. "Ahsoka, this is _never _going to happen again. Do you understand me?"

She bit her lip and cast her gaze elsewhere, nodding slowly. "Yes, Master."

"I want you to be comfortable and I'm glad that you're _that _comfortable with me, but I don't appreciate that and it's very inappropriate considering the fact that we're –"

"_Master, if it makes you feel any better, I love someone, too._"

"_Oh?_"

"_Yes, but I know there's nothing I can do about it. Our lives demand other things and we can't be together._"

"_I see. Over time, you'll learn to forget the attachment."_

"_What happens if the attachment doesn't fade over time? I see _him_ a lot…_"

No way. She couldn't have fallen in love with me already, could she? We only met yesterday for Force sake! I stared at her face and she stared at a wall. "Ahsoka, I think we need to talk about something."

Her attention snapped towards me quickly and I felt her fear rising. "What did I do wrong?"

"I think you're rushing our friendship. Ahsoka, it is _forbidden _for us to feel attachment. Do _not _attach yourself to me. I'm no good for you and trust me on that. Don't make our relationship transform into something that it's not, okay? I don't want you to hurt, so don't get hung up on me."

She looked and felt upset, but nodded nonetheless. "Yes, Master."

"I'm your friend and your mentor. Don't make me have to get rid of you," I teased.

Well, I'd meant for it to sound like I was teasing her, but she didn't see it that way. She nodded slowly and whispered, "Yes, Master."


	6. Difficulties

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

A very uncomfortable silence hung in the cockpit of the _Twilight._

Ahsoka and I were just coming out of hyperspace. We were supposed to be investigating parts being stolen from some of the machines on Mustafar. Force knows why _we _were sent out here to investigate. It seemed like such a simple mission. It was _too _simple for me anyway.

We landed the ship on a platform near a lava factory. I spun my chair towards her and gave her a very saddening look. She wasn't looking back at me, nor would she speak to me. "Ahsoka, are you going to talk to me?"

She shrugged. "I'm not mad at you, so don't think I am."

"You're not mad," she said under her breath. "But you _hate _me."

I sighed and shook my head. "I do _not _hate you. I'll… go check out the area. You stay here with Artoo."

The droid beeped in frustration. He hated staying on the ship just as much as I did. She glanced over her shoulder at the little astromech.

I stood up and left the ship. I felt bad, in a sense. I didn't want to hurt her feelings by reprimanding her, but I _had _to do it. Boundaries had to be laid down or she'd overstep them time and time again. I couldn't allow this to happen again. If she knew what I was… I stopped at the bottom of the landing ramp and frowned. If she knew what I was, she'd hate me.

I continued to walk across the rocky terrain. I was attempting to see if a service droid would come out to talk to me about the machines since I had no idea where they were exactly.

Without any warning whatsoever, I was kicked from behind. I was face down on the ground I scrambled to get up, but, as soon as I did, I was kicked again. The only difference was that, this time, I heard dainty laughter. I tensed up as I was on my hands and knees on the ground.

"Oh, come on, Ani. I know you can do _much _better than that," said a familiar voice, taunting me.

I gasped. "Pa-Padme?" I stuttered, my voice rising a bit. Again, my only answer was laughter.

I glanced towards the ship to see Ahsoka completely distracted. I blurred off of the ground and stood several feet away from Padme. She was smirking at me as I lifted my wrist to my face.

I commed Ahsoka. "_Yes, Master?_" she asked quietly, still sounding depressed.

"Ahsoka," I said in a quick breath. "Listen to me and don't ask questions. Leave now! Tell Obi-Wan that I need his help!" I yelled.

"_Master wants going on? I thought –_"

"_Leave!_" I screamed, receiving more laughter from Padme.

I heard Ahsoka drop what she was carrying and I heard her begin to push buttons on the control panels.

Then I heard the _whoosh _of the ship as it flew over me. Before I knew it, I was up against a wall.

Padme, the monster that made _me _into a monster, pinned my arms up against the wall and kissed my neck playfully.

I closed my eyes and shuddered. I couldn't believe she was touching me this way. As soon as she stopped kissing me, she looked into my eyes and began her compulsion spell.

I attempted to fight back. My fangs came out and I growled like the animal that I was. I snapped at her neck, but she evaded me.

We flew across the platform as we continued to fight. She was stronger than me, but she seemed to be taking it easy on me. That was always her way of playing with me.

She jumped at me and I sank my teeth into her neck. She cried out and I pushed her off of me, blurring to the left. I was going to sprint away from her until I saw a small girl with braided hair over her right shoulder. She looked lost and afraid.

I blurred over to her and whispered, "I'll get you away from her."

"Thanks," she whispered. "But _no thanks._"

Again, I hadn't realized a key point in this plot. I had been _tricked._ Volts of electricity coursed through my body and I felt like I'd been jabbed with a wooden stake. I clenched my teeth and fell to the ground and began to writhe in pain for a few moments.

Everything became dim. I watched Padme and the girl hover above me. The girl gave me a curious look as my vision began to darken.

**Later.**

I woke up, feeling something pricking my skin. I groaned and lifted my head a bit to see a darkened room. Due to the fact I was a vampire, I could see a bit more clearly in the dark. I attempted to snap my wrist forward and pull the chains out of the wall, but I practically screamed when I felt something tear my skin.

I glanced up at my wrists and I knew exactly what I was being bound by. First of all, Force bonds held me against the wall. Second of all, these were drain chains. I had no idea what exactly they were called, but I knew they would drain my strength and power. I believe I heard Obi-Wan call them _Petrificus_ _chains_ in the past. They'd drain my Jedi _and _vampire abilities while keeping me chained in place for the most part.

I moved my wrists again and growled. "Nice," I muttered.

I glanced up at the ceiling to see durasteel. I could easily bust it. That is, if I could break myself out of these chains. I needed to get out of here and make sure that Ahsoka was all right. I had no idea if she'd made it back to the temple safely.

I cried out as I attempted to stand up. The line in the chains was tearing through my skin and I was becoming a lot weaker than I wanted to be.

The door opened and I jumped. "Well, well, hello, stranger."

I clenched my teeth and growled. I felt my fangs coming out. Every single time I thought of her, I'd break something. Right now, I couldn't do that.

"What do you want?" I said, emphasizing each and every word. It didn't help that there was an immense amount of pain in my arms.

"You, my love. What else?"

I growled lowly and she rolled her eyes. "Cut it out. You're only turning me on," she said, giggling. "You know I love it when you're angry."

"I hope you die," I said loudly.

"I can't."

She came closer to me and knelt down in front of me. "Ani, Ani, Ani," she said, shaking her head. "My, my, aren't you weak? I thought you'd be a little stronger than this."

I hissed as she ran her fingers along my jaw line. "Don't touch me," I snapped. My fangs were completely out and I snapped at her fingers. She pulled back and laughed.

"You'd better learn to cooperate or the ones you love the most will suffer."

"You're not entirely telling me what I'm here for."

"I want you to join me, Ani. The Sith could _definitely _use your talents, my dearest."

I stared at her in disgust.

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

My heart was racing as I flew through the galaxy on hyperspace. Artoo was beeping angrily at me, asking me why we'd left Master Skywalker back on Mustafar. "He told us to leave him!" I snapped, glancing over my shoulder at the astromech.

Master Skywalker had never sounded distressed. I haven't known him very long, but he didn't seem like the type to get scared off easily.

The holoprojector on the dashboard began to beep and I quickly pressed the button, allowing the image to appear. Master Kenobi appeared and he looked shocked to see me in Master Skywalker's seat. "_Ahsoka? Where's Anakin?_"

"I left him on Mustafar. He told me to leave. He said he needs your help."

Judging by the look on his face, I could tell that something wasn't right. "_Are you all right, Ahsoka?_"

"I'm fine. I got out of there like he told me to. I'm worried about him. Why did he want me to leave so quickly?"

"_Just make your way back to the temple as quickly as you can. You'll be a lot safer here._"

I closed my eyes and bowed my head forward. I was angry with myself for leaving him behind. He needed help and I'd been stupid to obey his orders and leave. _I _could help him! "I can't believe I left!" I shouted, slamming my hands down on the armrests.

I'd forgotten about Master Kenobi's image. He cocked an eyebrow at me and I bit my lip. "I-I apologize, Master Kenobi."

"_I can read your frustration, young one. He's made quite the impact in your life already, hasn't he?_"

"He's…" I trailed off. I was in love with Master Skywalker. I'd heard of his heroics and achievements, but none of that had any bearing on the way I felt about him. The way he acted… He was so caring, yet so strict at the same time. "He's _him._"

I could have sworn that I saw the older Master smile slightly. That smile must have been unintentional because it disappeared instantaneously. "_How far from Coruscant are you?_"

"Twenty minutes," I said, glancing at the radar.

"_Can you fly any faster?_"

"Artoo?" I called out, glancing over my shoulder once again.

He beeped and attached himself to the wall. "Artoo is boosting the speed."

The swirls of hyperspace picked up speed. I glanced at the radar and spoke to Master Kenobi. "We'll be arriving in ten minutes."

"_I'll wait for you on the landing platform._"

I nodded and he cut the transmission. "Hey, Artoo, do you know what's up with my Master?"

He beeped a few phrases which, in essence, meant he wanted me to mind my own business. This little droid knew something about Master Skywalker that I didn't know. How unfair is that?

The next few minutes were silent, like it had been on the way to Mustafar. I felt like I'd disappointed Master Skywalker and I was afraid to talk to him. I was upset when he told me to leave, but he supposedly had a very good idea for ordering me to do so.

Whatever it was, it scared Master Kenobi as well.

I pulled out of hyperspace and began to head towards Coruscant. I slowly entered orbit and flew towards the temple.

I landed and immediately hopped out of Master Skywalker's seat. I ran out of the cockpit and down the landing ramp. Artoo wheeled behind me and beeped loudly as I ran faster.

Master Plo was also standing with Master Kenobi. Master Plo ran to me and embraced me tightly. "Little Soka, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said quickly. "Master Skywalker –"

"Go rest, little one," Master Kenobi whispered. "We'll handle the situation."

"But, he's _my _Master! I want to help you get him back!"

"This is not something a youngling should be involved in."

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared up at Master Kenobi. "I am a _Padawan_, Master Kenobi. I am _Anakin's _Padawan."

"Good, then you should know to follow a Master's orders. Go _rest_, Padawan."

I groaned in frustration and gave up. "Come on, Artoo."

A couple more Masters passed me and I grew curious. What could Master Skywalker be facing that required _several _Jedi Masters?

There was definitely something _big _going on and I didn't know what it was. I hated being left out of something that I was supposed to be included in. If my Master survived whatever the threat was, I was going to force him to talk to me and tell me the truth.

Artoo beeped several phrases and I cocked an eye marking at him. "Really?"

He beeped an affirmative. I glanced over my shoulder and smirked. "That doesn't seem like a bad idea, little guy."


	7. Torment

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I thought I would have a harder time falling asleep, but I had managed to do so with ease. I woke up a few hours later and felt sore and even more tired than I had before.

I tried to stretch and immediately regretted it. As soon as I lifted my arms, I felt a horrible shock and my energy left me once again. I gasped in pain and closed my eyes, clenching my teeth together tightly.

I allowed my head to lean back against the wall.

After about twenty minutes or so, the door to my cell opened and Padme walked in with the girl I thought needed to be rescued from this monster. Now that I had nowhere to go, I looked at the younger girl in more detail. Her hair was braided and fell over her shoulder, hitting her waist. Her bangs were pulled to one side, covering her left eye. She wore robes that, honestly, looked like they resembled a feminine version of my own. She was also _extremely _pale, which meant she was _definitely _one of us.

I noticed only one light saber on her belt. Padme, however, had _two._

Padme walked over to me and looked at me with a smirk. "So who's the new one?" I asked.

"Her name is Vestara and she's my daughter not 'the new one,'" she snapped.

She turned to look at Vestara. "Could you give Mommy a second, honey?"

Vestara nodded and bowed, taking her leave.

She was inches away from me and lifted my chin up so I could meet her eyes. "Oh, Ani, you haven't changed a bit," she said, examining me closely.

I growled. I hated it when she called me Ani. "Cut it out. There's a reason you came down here. What is it?" I demanded.

She let go of my chin and said, "Always wanting to get to the point of things. There is another reason I've come to you."

I looked at her and she glanced around the cell in complete silence. My patience was wearing thin as I stared up at her. "Spit it out, Padme!"

She smacked me hard across my face and grabbed my chin again. She seemed to be looking for my fangs. "You can control when your fangs come out now? I'm impressed, but what if you didn't feel the need to hide them anymore? What if we could make our own people, our own rules?"

She pressed her body against mine, sitting on my lap, and placed her head next to my ear and whispered, "We could wipe out everyone who ever did us wrong. Both Sith _and _Jedi."

She pulled back slightly to look me in the eyes. "I've already told you that I won't join you."

"I'll just give you some time to reconsider my offer, Ani," she said, giggling as she stood up.

She exited the room and locked the door behind her, leaving me alone to dwell on my thoughts.

Of course, right now, my thoughts raced back to Ahsoka. I couldn't smell her here, so she must have made it out of the system. I just hoped she hadn't been tracked down by Padme. If something happened to my little Padawan... I would be the only one to blame.

I closed my eyes and bowed my head. Guilt began to well up inside of me as I thought about the young Togruta's corpse. The worst case scenarios began to run through my mind.

If she'd been followed, she'd been captured. If Padme captured her, and I couldn't smell her now, that meant she'd been killed. I could just imagine Padme sucking the life out of her and it made me sick.

I growled and my arms flew forward, tugging on the chains. The piece of metal within the chains dug into my wrist and began to drain me further. Again, I growled in agony. This was almost as bad as the pain I'd felt during my transformation so many years ago...

I dropped my arms and gasped. My chest was heaving and my eyes were shut tightly. "Idiot," I whispered to myself.

"_You're not mad, but you _hate _me._"

Her voice echoed in my head over and over again until I became frustrated. How could possibly believe I hated her? Ahsoka was... _Ahsoka._ I didn't know too much about her as of this moment, so I couldn't become as attached to her as I'd been to Obi-Wan or Padme.

I could see her face in my thoughts. I saw her smiling very briefly and then it would falter, transforming into a frown.

A few hours past again and I could only think about Ahsoka. I was worried sick about her.

I jumped slightly, hurting myself, as the door opened once again. Padme entered with a devious smile on her lips. "Hello, love. Have you changed your mind yet?"

"I'm not sure. Have I?" I said sarcastically. "Padme, I'm not going to join you no matter what you say."

She came closer to me and slid her cool fingers across my cheek, lightly touching my skin. I closed my eyes and was thrown back to the time when I'd been in love with her. The many nights alone and the days apart came back to me and hit me.

"Do you really think you'll be accepted? Once your pet figures out that you're a monster like me, do you think she'll care about you? I know that she loves you and I know that you love her. I can easily snap her neck and end her life," she chuckled. I growled and clenched my teeth together, opening my eyes to glare up at her.

She rolled her eyes and then gave me a curious look. That look resembled pure evil. "Or I could do _much worse._"

My jaw dropped and all of my anger disappeared momentarily. It was replaced with shock. 'Much worse' meant that she'd turn Ahsoka into one of us. I could _not _and would _not _allow that to happen. _Ever._

"Don't you dare touch her," I spat.

I wasn't in love with Ahsoka, but I felt something there. I was overprotective of her right now and I felt my fangs coming through at the thought of Padme touching the young girl.

"I can do _anything _I want to," she laughed.

"If you so much as -"

"Oh, Ani, I don't believe _you _are in much of a position to make threats at this point, my love."

"Please," I begged. "Don't hurt Ahsoka. She's done nothing to warrant punishment. Punish _me_. Please, just... leave her _out _of this..."

"Where's the fun in that? Her torture would be most..." She paused for the dramatic effect, breaking my heart. "_Pleasing._ I know you've dreamt of her blood. Imagine how she would taste, Ani. She wouldn't be the first Jedi you've killed."

Her words both killed and excited me. I regret my past murders and I wish I could take them back, but the fantasy of tasting Ahsoka's sweet-scented blood made my mouth water.

I closed my eyes and bit my lower lip. "No one trusts you. The only person you've got is me, Anakin. Ahsoka is _nothing _in comparison to me. She could never give you the type of love you seek. Her blood is yours, but _my _body belongs to you."

My eyes snapped open. "I don't want your _body._ I want your _death._"

She grabbed my hands and pulled forward, sending the small metallic piece further into my skin. I cried out and she laughed. "S-stop," I begged, screaming.

"You will _not _threaten me anymore, _child._ You forget that I am stronger than you. I will _always _be stronger than you."

She released me and I gasped in pain, feeling tears welling up in my eyes. _Hateful_ tears. I may love her, but I hate her more than that. She was a monster and I was just like her. She'd ruined my life and was planning to ruin more of it.

She lightly traced her fingers along my jaw line. "Cry for me, Ani."

I growled in agony as she forced the metallic piece into my wrists once again. The tears dripped from my eyes unintentionally. I felt _weak..._

"I hate you," I sneered after she released me again. My lips trembled as she crawled onto my lap again.

She buried her face into the crook of my neck and kissed my skin. My body shook as her fingers danced over my chest and down to my stomach. "S-stop, p-please."

"You're going to have to do better than that if you want me to stop," she whispered.

"Stop!" I screamed, gaining most of my voice once again. She laughed and pulled away from me, standing once again.

"You'd better get used to my company, Anakin. You aren't going anywhere and you'll never be accepted. The Jedi want you for your vampire abilities. You are _nothing _to anyone but me. I will _always _love you. That little _alien girl_ doesn't love you like I love you. You're her shield in a battlefield. That's all you'll ever be to them."

"That's not true," I whispered.

Ahsoka never looked at me like I was just someone to protect her all the time. Then again, she had no idea what I was. I'd taken that away from her. I'd stripped her of something I wanted desperately to tell her. I wanted to tell her everything, but I knew I couldn't.

Ahsoka was emotionally fragile and I couldn't hurt her like that. I shouldn't even go back to the temple. She deserves better than me...

Her heart is attached to me as well and that in itself could be detrimental to our relationship. I cared about her as a companion...

I closed my eyes and felt Padme's on me. Ahsoka wasn't just my companion. Her personality was just the personality I've been searching for since I went out on my own.

"Vestara," she called out. I opened my eyes to see her glancing over her shoulder, waiting for the younger vampire to appear. I knew that the child wasn't her daughter.

The young girl appeared. "Yes, mother?"

"I've got a mission for you, my dear."

Vestara glanced at me and gasped slightly. "What did you do to him?"

"Don't look at him," she snapped. Padme came closer to me once again and slammed my head into the wall. "He's not worth seeing, my daughter."

I growled and looked up at her angrily. More tears threatened to fall from my eyes. Vestara kept staring at me like I was actually of importance to her. In this case, I wasn't important to _either _of them. I was just Padme's toy.

"Vestara," she snapped. "I have a mission for you."

"What is it mother?"

Again, Padme paused for the dramatic effect. She looked at me and smiled. "Go fetch Anakin's little Padawan. Bring her to me _alive _and _unscathed._ Her life is going to get so much more complicated because her Master won't cooperate."

"No!" I screamed, scaring the girl. My body began to shake violently as I fought my pain and the chains.

I snarled and growled as the girl whispered, "Yes, mother."

She left and Padme's laughter filled the room, along with my screams. "Don't do this! She doesn't deserve _this!_"

"She deserves _everything._ She is connected to you and therefore receives just as much punishment as you do."

I heard a small ship's engine revving before a door opened and it flew off into the emptiness of space. I screamed and Padme continued to laugh. She finally left me and I closed my eyes, bowing my head.

I continued to thrash for a few more moments before giving up. Blood dripped down my arms and it felt as if fire were burning my veins. My anger was well beyond what it has ever been before. I slowly allowed myself to break, becoming unable to control my tears.

They were going to _kill _Ahsoka because of _me._

**A/N: As requested by my good friend, Starwarsrocks1234, Vestara Amidala is dedicated to you as an early birthday present. :) Happy early birthday to you! **


	8. Double the Torture

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

I had just received a mission from my mother. My goal was to capture Skywalker's Padawan. Supposedly, she was aboard a ship heading here in the first place. The only bad news was that I was stuck with Grievous and Ventress. All they're capable of is slowing me down or getting us all caught by the Jedi. I wanted to go on my own, but Count Dooku and mother _insisted _that I bring these incompetent imbeciles with me.

All they did was bicker back and forth during the entire trip and I was beginning to lose my patience. Mother needed to take me out to hunt _very _soon or I'd kill every lifeform that wasn't like us.

After a short period of time, a Republic vessel came into view and I smirked. Knowing that everyone aboard that ship was weaker than me brought me more strength and confidence. This was going to be _simple._

My mother was going to be so proud of me once I brought Skywalker's Padawan back to her. I'd be able to prove how reliable I was.

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

I was able to sneak aboard the Masters' ship. They were prepared to rescue Master Skywalker and I wanted to tag along. I was a bit surprised by the fact that I hadn't been caught yet, but everyone seemed to be _really _on edge about whatever had happened to him. I could even sense that their thoughts were elsewhere.

I've been in the cargo bay for nearly three hours and I was beginning to get nervous.

An alarm began to blare throughout the ship suddenly, resulting in scaring the living daylights out of me.

The cargo bay doors opened and the Masters came through, heading towards their fighters. Masters Mundi, Windu, Koon, and Fisto climbed into their cockpits and began to prep their fighters for whatever enemy was outside of the ship.

I grew nervous as I realized that Master Kenobi hadn't appeared and gotten into his own fighter. "Padawan, I believe I told you to '_stay in your quarters_,' correct?"

I turned around and watched him stand above me with his arms crossed over his chest. "Well?"

"I-I couldn't just relax when I don't know what's going on. I can't stand being left in the dark!"

He sighed and shook his head. "There's nothing I can do about it now."

"Master, what's going on?"

"Several squadrons of vulture droids are surrounding us along with Vetnress, Grievous, and an unknown fighter." He paused to stare at me seriously. "Now, _please_, stay on the ship while we attend to this matter."

"I –" I sighed and bowed my head. "Yes, Master."

He shook his head and smiled slightly before running to hop into his fighter and join the others.

Moments after his departure, a small shuttle landed on the landing strip of the hangar. It was quite obvious that they weren't with the Republic or the Jedi because there were Sith symbols along the outer hull.

The landing ramp crashed down upon the durasteel floor and a gigantic cyborg stepped down it. _Grievous._ After him, a younger girl came out. I noticed that her robes were _very _similar to Master Skywalker's. Her hair was braided and hung over her left shoulder. Her bangs were pulled to the side to cover her left eye. In a way, she kind of reminded me of my Master, minus the fact that she was a girl. She couldn't have been much older than me. As a matter of fact, she appeared to be _younger _than me.

What threw me off was her next movement. She _sniffed _the air. "Well?" Grievous' robotic voice growled at her.

She glared up at him. "She's here in the cargo bay."

I moved and began to run, knocking over several crates with loud crashes. If they didn't hear that, I'd be surprised.

Evidently, they heard me. I heard Grievous roar, followed by his metallic footsteps running after me.

I ran into one of the storage rooms on the ship. As the door closed, I heard a _whoosh_. That sounded very familiar, but I couldn't exactly place it.

I locked the door and backed up, gasping out of fear. If Master Skywalker were here, he'd –

I backed into something soft and I spun quickly to see the girl. She grabbed my throat with one hand and threw her other out towards the door, unlocking it with the Force.

Grievous came in and watched as the girl put more pressure on my throat. It was so bad to the point where I felt like I was going to die. I could _barely _breathe. Slowly, my vision began to darken. My eyes rolled into the back of my head and I lost consciousness.

**POV: Obi-Wan Kenobi**

As I blasted vulture droids and chased after Ventress, I thought back to earlier. The only reason we'd been so quick to act was because _Anakin never _needed _our _help. That is, unlesss his creator came after him.

Master Plo and I knew what we were up against because we'd fought her with Anakin not too long ago. That had been one of the most horrifying moments I'd _ever _had in his presence. He became an animal as he fought her, nearly killing me in the process. It took six months for him to recover from that and it only took me a few hours to recover physically. He knew I forgave him, but that wasn't what he wanted. Anakin wanted punishment for acting out, but that wasn't something I'd do. He was like a brother to me, hence the reason I acted immediately upon Ahsoka's return to Coruscant.

My fighter's comlink began to beep and I immediately answered it, seeing that it was Anakin's frequency. "Anakin, are you all right?"

The voice that answered, however, was _not _Anakin and it wasn't something I wanted to hear.

"_Ah, hello, my dearest friend,_" she laughed.

"What have you done to Anakin?" I demanded, growing furious. If she'd done anything to him –

"_Hear for yourself._" I heard a door creak. "_Hello, Ani. How are we today?_"

I heard a growl, followed by Padme's laughter. "_Oh, come on. I have some Masters out there wanting to know how you're doing._"

Chains began to rattle in the background and I gaped a bit. I cringed as Anakin began to scream in agony. I'd _never _heard him scream like that. "Padme, stop!" I screamed into the com system.

Anakin's screaming ceased, but were followed up with his heavy panting. "_Why don't you come to try to stop me?_" Padme laughed.

"_Obi-Wan... go back_," I heard Anakin whisper.

"Anakin, are you –"

"_Ahsoka!_" he screamed. "_Save her!_" he begged. He began to scream before the com on his end fizzled out into static.

Ventress began to flee while most of her defenses had been decimated. _Typical._

Why would the Sith set up something like this?

I glanced at my scanners to see a shuttle emerging from our ship. "Oh, no," I whispered. _Ahsoka._

The droids had been a distraction. The target had been Ahsoka. While we were out and about, fighting the droids, the Sith stepped onto the ship and captured the young girl.

I quickly steered towards the ship, hoping that perhaps she _hadn't _been captured. "Ahsoka!" I shouted as I flew out of my starfighter. Plo landed beside me and felt confused. "Ahsoka!"

"She was here?"

"Yes," I sighed. "Apparently, Padme knew she'd come after him, too. It was all a trap."

He placed a hand on my shoulder and stared at me. "We will get them _both _back. They're both _very _strong and capable of protecting themselves until we arrive."

I sighed once more and glanced up at the force field at the end of the cargo bay. "I hope you're right."

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Padme had kicked me down earlier after I'd warned Obi-Wan. I hadn't cared too much about the consequences. I just cared about Ahsoka's safety. _She _mattered the most to me because _I _was supposed to protect her.

The door slid open and Padme came back in. "Vestara should be arriving with your Padawan shortly," she whispered as she crawled into my lap. I growled slightly as I glared at her. "You know what? I've been wondering something for quite some time, my love."

She lifted her hands towards mine and intertwined our fingers. I felt sickened when she looked into my eyes and smiled. "Well, what do you know? I get satisfaction both ways."

I growled once again. She slapped me roughly. "That was _rude. _Do you know what happens to rude people, Anakin? They get _punished._"

Either way, I didn't entirely care. I just wanted her to leave me alone and I wanted to escape so I could defend myself and my Padawan. "Beg me for mercy," she commanded.

I sarcastically said, "Please, Padme, I –"

"That's not good _enough_." She tugged on my hands and I screamed loudly, hearing her light laughs beneath my own voice. Luckily for me, I wasn't human. My veins had been pierced and sealed several times in the last few hours.

She released my hands after several minutes. I began to gasp and breathe heavily as she smiled at me. "I wonder if you'd do a better job at begging, knowing that your Padawan's life depends on it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Please..." I gasped breathlessly. "I'll do..." I swallowed and closed my eyes. "Anything."

"_Anything?_"

I nodded slowly and lowered my head. "Kiss me, Ani, without your fangs."

"Just get it over with," I sneered.

She pressed her cool, dead lips against mine and ran her fingers through my hair slowly.

Each movement and sound threw me back to the time when I'd actually been head over heels for her. It took me back to all of the nights we'd spent together...

She grabbed the hem of my shirt and kissed me again. Once she stopped, she got out of my lap and pressed her hands against mine, palm against palm.

****"Doesn't that take you back to Tatooine? Back to _us?_"

"There was no us. You had all of the power. I was just your _toy._"

She ignored the comment and gave me a thoughtful glance. "I wonder..." she trailed off. "Does your Padawan know how much of a good kisser you are? We might actually have something to talk about while I torture her."

I snarled and allowed my fangs to come in, baring them at her. "Now, what did I say about being _rude?_"

Once again, she pulled my hands forward. As I screamed in agony, she laughed. This was the longest and harshest of each moment she'd tortured me. She held my hands as the metallic piece continued digging deeper and deeper into my wrists.

After ten minutes, she'd stopped. I collapsed against the wall and felt my concsciousness drifting away from me. I felt my eyes beginning to roll into the back of my head and she noticed. "Oh, you don't get off _that _easily, my dear. Besides, don't you want to be awake when your Padawan arrives? It should be any minute now."

She turned away from me and strolled out of the room. I tried my best to stay awake, but I just couldn't do it...

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

I woke up and found myself on a larger ship. I could tell that much as I hung by my wrists and ankles with nothing but Force binders to support me. I opened my eyes to see a beautiful woman standing before me. She scared me slightly and I realized that she must be the captor of Master Skywalker and myself. "Hm," she whispered, rubbing her chin. "Why would he choose _you _as his Padawan? You don't seem brave _at all._"

I didn't say anything because I knew she was trying to turn me against my Master. She circled me slowly and I tried to keep my eyes on her. Once she stopped behind me, I heard her take in a breath slowly. "_Wow._ You smell _delicious._ It's a wonder how he's been able to control himself around you. If you were _my_ Padawan, you would have been dead and gone long before now."

She stepped around me and paused in front of me, smiling deviously. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, surely he told you. If he didn't, then the Council must have."

I bit my bottom lip. I knew he was hiding something from me and I couldn't help but wonder what it was. She looked at me and gasped. My attention flew back towards her as she continued to speak. "He didn't tell you, _did he?_ Oh, that is _too _good. Look at that," she laughed. "A Padawan and Master's bond is supposed to be built upon trust and he can't even tell you one of his biggest and darkest secrets!"

She began to laugh maniacally and it was beginning to scare me a bit. Her eyes met mine for a brief moment and, without thinking, I shouted, "Shut up!"

She smacked my face with a decent amount of force put into it. "Anakin's manners have rubbed off on you. It's amazing how quickly you've learned to dissolve yourself into his personality, but you can't even pick up on the fact that he's a monster."

"No, he's not! You _don't _know him!" I shouted.

"Oh, on the contrary, my dear. I've known him for _quite _a while. About two hundred years actually."

"I'm not stupid. That's _impossible._"

"Not for us. It's completely possible, young one."

I stared at her in shock though I didn't understand what she was getting at. "Your Master and I, we're not human. I can't believe he's never told you before now."

_Not human?_ "Now, let's see how good your blood really is," she whispered, smiling at me in a very evil manner.

Something shimmered in her robes momentarily. She pulled out a small knife and put it against my shoulder, sliding it down. I screamed and screamed, but she didn't stop.


	9. The Truth Part 1

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Ahsoka's screams hurt me in a way that I've _never _hurt before. Each outburst caused my heart to shatter piece by piece. I tried to escape my chains, but there was nothing I could do. The piece within the bonds dug itself deeper and deeper into my wrists until I actually began to cry.

I could smell the sweet scent of Ahsoka's blood in the other room and that made my instincts and morals rage against each other. I was caught in the middle of being desperate to help her and being desperate to suck the life out of her tormented body.

Every now and then I could hear her screaming for me, but there was nothing I could do. If I tried to scream back, Padme would only hurt her much worse. I bit my lip and closed my eyes as I heard Ahsoka gasp. I could feeling her pain and sadness. She was so confused and had no idea what to make of the situation.

"How do you like the smell of that?" Padme whispered from the room. Vestara and I were the only ones that could hear her because of our advanced hearing. I snarled in rage and felt Ahsoka's fear rise once again.

She began to talk to Ahsoka. "How much pain have you suffered in the past, young one? Does this match anything you've faced at the temple?"

She whimpered and I heard her chains rattle slightly. Padme hissed and Ahsoka squealed. "Answer me, you _pathetic waste of life!_"

"Take it out on me!" I whispered, knowing Padme could hear me. "You don't want her. You want _me._ Hurt _me._"

"Now where's the fun in _that?_" she laughed.

"Let me see her, please," I begged. "I'll do anything if you just let me see her."

I heard Padme's melodic laugh and then the chains were rattled a bit more. "Your Master wishes to see you for a few moments."

My door was opened and my bloody Padawan was dragged into the room and tossed across the cool floor. Deep wounds were already leaving scars on her beautiful, orange skin. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and my heart completely shattered.

"Have you had enough?" Padme asked.

"Please, let us have a minute together. You can hear everything from out there. I won't try anything," I whispered.

She rolled her eyes and snickered. "You've got a little bit of time. Don't try _anything _or you'll risk _her _life. She barely has any chance of survival as it is. Anything you do or say can either increase or decrease those chances."

She walked out of the room without another word, leaving me and Ahsoka alone. "Ahsoka," I whispered, my voice shaking.

She pushed herself up and stumbled closer to me. "Mas-ter," she gasped.

She fell into my lap, resting her head against my chest. She closed her eyes and began to breathe heavily. "Talk to me," I ordered. "Stay awake, Ahsoka."

Her wrists were still bound and her clothes were slightly tattered. She opened her eyes and tilted her head towards me. "Can you stand at all?"

"I-I d-don't know, M-master."

"Ahsoka, do you have any idea what's going on here?"

She shook her head and I could read the fear in her expression. "I'm so confused. Master, tell me what's going on. Why does she keep calling you a monster? Why did she do that to me?"

Her blood was beginning to intoxicate me, but I _needed _to control myself. I didn't want to hurt her anymore than she needed. It was my fault that she was here in the first place. "Ahsoka, those are questions that I can't –"

"No!" she screamed. "I need you to answer me _now!_ Why is this happening to _us?_"

I bit my lip as she forced herself to sit up. I was trying my best to avoid licking my lips and allowing my fangs to come through. "Ahsoka," I whispered, swallowing slowly. "I'm not what you think I am. You think I'm some _special _being because of my advanced abilities. You love me because I'm kind to you. I've tried my best to be at _my _best for so long, but it _never _works."

"What do you –?"

"I'm not human. I'm so much worse. If I weren't chained to this wall, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation right now. You have no idea how difficult it is to restrain my hunger right now."

"Master?" She began to back away from me and I didn't try to stop her. I could have compelled her to sit and listen. Then again, I could have compelled her to let me drink her dry, but I couldn't do either of those things. I wanted to be more open with her because she deserved to know the truth, or at least a partial version of it.

"Please, don't be afraid of me. I don't _want _to hurt you. I care so much about you and I envy you. You're such a beautiful, young girl and you've got so much in store for you. It's _my _fault that you're here and I wish I could do something to reverse this. I wish I could have prevented your torture. This isn't fair to you at all. You don't deserve any of the pain that I'm forcing upon you right now."

"You haven't hurt me, Master. I –"

I laughed darkly and her eyes widened. "Ahsoka, this is all my doing. If I hadn't tried to start a new life, you wouldn't be in this position right now."

"What are you talking about?"

"If we survive this, I promise you that I'll explain _everything._ I don't want to hurt you right now with all of this information."

Once again, she came closer to me. She surprised me when she lifted both of her hands to hold my flesh hand. "I love you, Master. I don't believe any of this. You're not the type of monster that I've read about. You've done nothing to hurt me. I can't believe you when you say that my pain is your fault."

I stared at her shoulder hungrily and she seemed to notice. "What are you doing?"

Her fingers tightened around mine and I couldn't resist the urges anymore. I could easily wipe her memory after I figured out a way to get us out of here. I'd done it once and I could do it again. I cursed loudly and she jumped back. "I'm not a human, Ahsoka! I'm a _vampire!_ Your people would call me a _bloodsucker _of _life-drainer._ I'm a monster. I could snap your neck without trying! I could _kill _you without trying!"

She gasped and her eyes widened. I snarled in fury, scaring her more than I'd wanted to. Well, I hadn't meant to scare her at all, but this was the _truth._ "I-I don't believe you!" she whispered.

"Look at me," I whispered, staring into her eyes. I opened my mouth and allowed my fangs to come through. She gaped at me, staring in horror. I felt my hunger consume me and she noticed that my eye color had changed from a glossy blue to a blood red coloring.

"You can't..." she trailed off, coming closer. "This isn't happening."

"Ahsoka," I growled. "Stay _away _from me."

She looked at my wrists in confusion. "If you're... _dead_, then how can you bleed?"

"My blood heals mortals. My blood can transform you into _this _if you aren't taken care of properly."

She put her hands on either side of my face and my lips began to tremble. She forced me to stare into her eyes. "I trust you."

"_How?_"

"You haven't showed any signs of this before. You've tried so hard to keep yourself under control and I've done nothing but make you feel uncomfortable. I'm surprised that you haven't killed me yet."

"I don't _want _to be like her, Ahsoka. I want to be the way I was when I was a human. I want to take care of those that are the closest to me. You're my Padawan and one of my closest friends. Obi-Wan falsely trusted me with you and I can't uphold his trust if I'm going to lose myself this way."

"Will my blood heal you?"

"I'm not going to answer that question," I said quickly.

"Please," she pleaded. "I want to help you."

"I can't. I can't drink your blood. Don't put me in this situation, Ahsoka. If I do it once, I'll never be able to stop myself in the future."

"I already said that I trust you. Why don't you trust yourself?"

"You don't know my history. I'm a murderer, Ahsoka."

"You haven't killed me yet."

"At this moment in time, I'm _unable _to. If I were free and you were still as bloody and sweet-smelling as you are now, I would kill you without thinking twice about it."

"So you're saying that my blood smells good to you?"

"Yes," I breathed painfully.

Her thumbs rubbed over the corners of my mouth. "How badly do you want to taste my blood?" she whispered, staring at my mouth.

She knew I was afraid because I was shaking uncontrollably at the thought of even pressing my lips against her skin. The thought of sinking my teeth into her made me feel sick inside, but I wanted it so badly. "Don't do this to me."

Her thumb penetrated my lips and rubbed over my left fang. "If we weren't in such a serious situation right now, this would be extremely awkward," I ground out.

"You've always got to make things between us awkward. Shopping with you was bad enough."

"You're the one that made me sleep without a shirt on!"

"I care about you!"

"I care about you, too!" I shouted, not realizing until now that I'd just fallen for her trap. She wanted me to admit my feelings to her. There wasn't _much _to tell her because I was locked within my own emotional battle. I wasn't sure if my lust was because of her blood or not.

She stared into my eyes as she rubbed over my fang slowly. I was surprised that she hadn't gone insane when she realized that I was _very _capable of ending her life. "Master."

"Don't."

I knew what she wanted from the look in her eyes. She quickly leaned closer to me and pressed her lips against mine. Her hands grabbed my tunic and tugged gently. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on making her feel good rather than allowing my animal instincts to take over. I'd have a _lot _to wipe from her memory once we got out of here.

"Well, isn't _this _sweet?" Her sarcasm was dripping like water from an overflowing sink. "I leave you two kids alone to talk and this is what you do?"

She grabbed Ahsoka's montrals and pulled back quickly, throwing her to the floor. She began to whimper as she stared up at Padme. "Don't hurt her," I begged. "Please."

"You want me to hurt you, _right?_"

"Yes, but don't hurt me with her. Please, just put her back in the cell. She doesn't deserve this."

"Oh, I'm going to hurt you."

She left Ahsoka where she was and I wasn't sure if I was grateful or not to that fact. Padme grabbed my hands quickly and pulled with a small amount of her power, which was enough to hurt me beyond my wildest dreams.

I screamed in agony as the pieces cut themselves into my wrists again. "Stop!" Ahsoka screamed over and over. Padme wouldn't listen to her and I wanted her to stop talking so _she _wouldn't get into trouble.

Padme released my hands after a few minutes and I collapsed against the wall. I closed my eyes as I breathed heavily. "Master!"

I opened my eyes to see Padme taking her out of the room. The door closed moments later and I closed my eyes again. I heard Padme chaining her up once again, but that was it. She didn't hurt Ahsoka anymore after that.

I could tell that night had come around once I heard Ahsoka shivering and snoring lightly. I heard light footsteps enter her room and the shivering slowly began to die down. I breathed a sigh of relief until my door opened. The child, Vestara, entered with a blanket and some pieces of bacta. "What are –?"

She blurred to me and put a hand over my mouth. "Keep it down, will you?"

She wrapped the blanket around my lower area, wrapping it around me slightly. She began to place bacta patches around my wrists as best as she could. "Why are you being so kind to us?"

"You may be our prisoners, but even inmates deserve a decent captivity. Besides, her shivering was really beginning to bother me."

"Vestara," I whispered. She looked into my eyes, giving me a curious look. "Your _mother _isn't telling you everything. Be careful, all right?"

She nodded slowly and stood up. I watched her exit the room and I leaned my head back against the wall. I closed my eyes and began to listen to the rhythm of Ahsoka's heartbeat.


	10. The Truth Part 2

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I woke up to the sound of Ahsoka's painful screams. They didn't sound _as _bad as they had through the night, but they still hurt _me._ She would cry out for me and I would lurch forward, injuring my wrists in the process. I felt her pain by hurting myself.

The entire process of torture lasted for nearly an hour. I was surprised that Ahsoka's voice hadn't given out. She'd screamed in agony or called out for me the entire time. I wished that I'd been able to save her from this torment, but there was nothing I could do…

"Master…" she whispered, her voice pained as she gasped. I closed my eyes as she began to cry. I'd have so much to force her to forget. If she tasted my blood, her wounds would heal in no time at all. There was no way she'd forget this _or _recover from it if I didn't remove these memories.

"Help me," she begged.

Padme laughed. "He can't help you. No matter how much you beg, he'll _never _help you. Your blood is too sweet."

She was only _half _right. Ahsoka's blood was very sweet. Smelling the blood in the other room made my body go wild. It had only been a few… _days _since I'd sucked the life out of someone, but that had been a result of my over-protectiveness. It had always gotten the best of me.

I realized now that I was only protective of her because she was _my _prey. I wanted her all to myself…

Padme scratched at Ahsoka and I cringed. She laughed and said good-bye to the young, bleeding Togruta. "Leave her," I growled, fearing that '_good-bye_' meant she was going to end her life.

"Are we getting a bit feisty?"

"Leave her," I begged angrily.

Ahsoka squeaked and cried out. Judging by the rattling of her chains, Padme had her squirming. "Leave her alone!" I screamed. I dug the piece within the chains into my wrist as I tried to shatter it once again. Ahsoka heard my scream and gasped.

She stopped, leaving Ahsoka panting on the floor in the room. The door opened and closed. I knew I was next, but that didn't scare me at all. I would rather feel pain than listen to Ahsoka's and be able to do nothing about it.

The door opened and she entered. Judging by her appearance, I knew today was going to be pretty bad. She was _covered _in Ahsoka's blood. I'd inhaled already and the scent was eating me alive. I gasped as the hunger took over.

She laughed. "Awe, what's the matter, my love?" I stared at her in cold silence and she rolled her eyes. She stepped closer and ran her fingers through my hair. She rubbed her thumb over my lips and I realized too late that she was marking me with Ahsoka's blood. I snapped at her hands as my fangs came in quickly.

"Will you tell me why you're being so aggressive, my dear?"

My fangs were bared as I glared at her. "I guess I'll have to get the answers out of you another way," she sighed.

She grabbed my hands and my powers began to drain all too quickly. I tried to stifle my own screams, but it was _so _painful. I kept trying to stop because I was emotionally injuring Ahsoka.

She was crying and pleading quietly in the other room. She wanted Padme to stop. I tried, very quickly, to form a mental bond with Ahsoka. I was surprised when she immediately allowed me access to her personal thoughts. "Ahsoka, please, for _your _sake, stay silent."

"_Master, I can't let her –_"

"You _can _and you _will._ My body can withstand more pain than yours can. I'm taking care of _you._"

"_That's not fair!_"

I growled through my screams. "_Don't _talk back to _me._"

"_I love you!_" she screamed into my already scrambled thoughts.

"That's why I'm doing this!" I shouted at her.

I heard new footsteps just before Padme released me. _Vestara. _After gasping for a few moments, I decided to get Padme going. She'd been lying to her '_daughter_' for too long. I burst into uncontrollable laughter and she just stared at me in a very angry, confused manner. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing," I chuckled, shaking my head. "I've just never realized how _out of control _you really are. I mean, seriously? Are you _that _desperate for love you cannot have?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your daughter. She's what? Fifteen? You went out of your way to slaughter a fifteen year olds' parents. If that's not crazy, I don't know _what _is. It's sick and pathetic," I sneered. "You _know _we can't repopulate." And _I _knew that she didn't span her hearing out most of the time, so she couldn't hear Vestara in the hall.

She slapped me across the face. "Of course I know we can't repopulate, you fool. I watched her for three years. I saw the potential in her power. Her Force abilities can _almost _match yours. Her parents neglected the potential she had because they were drunks. In a way, I did Vestara a favor. Her removing them, I was able to create a companion for myself. I removed all of her childhood memories and made her what she is today."

"Your mindless minion."

"_My _daughter. _Your _daughter."

I rolled my eyes. "I see us being unable to reproduce never stopped you from having fun and sleeping around with the men, did it?"

Once again, too late had I realized that the situation had taken the wrong turn. Her anger flared and she lashed out, hitting me. She quickly bit my neck, piercing the skin. I cursed at her in Huttese quickly, glaring daggers at her.

She blurred out of the room and came back with a savage look in her eyes. She pulled a cloth out of her robes and jammed it into my mouth, tying it behind my head. My senses ran wild as Ahsoka's blood dripped down onto my tongue.

I thrashed around in an attempt to remove it and she glared. "You just made your Padawan's life a _lot _harder."

I struggled as I tried to beg her for forgiveness. _I _had angered her. _I _deserved the punishment, not Ahsoka. My bond with Ahsoka had been severed and she went back into her cell.

As her screaming began, I heard light footsteps retreat. At least Vestara knew the truth now. I hadn't meant to hurt Ahsoka in the process though…

My heart tightened every time she cried out. She pleaded for her to stop, but Padme wasn't one to stop so easily after being _severely _angered.

The next few hours tortured me just as much as they tortured her…

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

My heart was racing as I slid down the door to my room. I felt like I'd been betrayed. My _mother _had killed my parents? _Anakin _wasn't my father? I couldn't believe that! This can't be happening…

I silently began to cry. The last year had all been a _lie?_ I held my face in my hands and Anakin's words repeated themselves over and over. "_We can't repopulate._"

Padme told me that I could have all the children I wanted in my life. Perhaps that wasn't how she meant it… Perhaps she meant I could have children if I did what she did to me.

I lifted my head and wiped my tears away. A thought had just occurred to me. What if _he _was lying? What if this was just some twisted dream that I couldn't get out of?

I shook my head, clearing the thoughts away. Pain wouldn't be this intense in a dream.

That was _it._ This was reality and I would have to discover myself again.

The screams of the Togruta began to sicken me. My mother was a _monster._ She was tormenting the child because she wanted to get back at Anakin.

She had lied to me and told me that he was my father almost three months ago. Now to hear that I hadn't even been related to Padme… I sighed and pulled my knees up to my chest.

I listened to his ragged breathing as he began to tear up in his cell. Apparently the Togruta meant a lot to him. I knew about the kiss they'd shared in the cell earlier, but I hadn't thought too much about it.

A few hours had past and Padme had finally given up on the whole torturing thing. She came to say good night to me and went to bed.

Once I was sure she was asleep, I crept out of my bedroom and walked towards the holding cells. I quickly and quietly opened Anakin's door to see him passed out against the wall.

I blurred over to him and touched his cheek. His eyes slowly began to open and, once they did, he began to growl through the gag. "Shh, if you don't want me to get caught," I whispered, trying to keep the noise down.

He stopped and gave me a curious look. I pulled the gag out of his mouth momentarily and he gasped. I didn't understand why at first, but then I smelled the blood on it. It was the same blood from the other cell.

"What do _you _want?"

I sat cross legged in front of him and stared at him intently, watching his reactions as I began to speak. "Is Padme my real mother?"

"No." His voice and face were both calm.

"Are you my real father?"

"No." The same results as the first question.

"Am I capable of having children?"

"Vestara, the only way you _can _have children is if you turn them like Padme turned you. I'm much older than you. I've done my research and I know my facts."

I felt myself tearing up as I circled my arms over my stomach. I'd never have little babies looking up at me after I'd given birth to them. I'd lost that privilege a year ago when I'd woken up to Padme's smiling face…

"Just cry already."

I stared at his wrists and felt the tears slipping from my eyes. I wanted to get him out of here, but how would I do that without Padme hearing? I leapt at him, circling my arms around his waist.

He felt tense and unsure of the situation, but I just needed someone right now and he seemed to be the closest one to me. "I can't believe she lied to me," I whispered.

"Hey," he whispered, trying to put a soothing edge into his voice. "If it makes you feel any better, she's just used to lying to people. It's not just you, child."

"Did she lie to you?"

He was silent for a few moments. I glanced up at his face to see a pained look. His eyes were closed and his lips parted slightly. "What's wrong?"

"She… she doesn't know how to not lie to someone. That's all she's capable of."

I rested my head on his chest and listened to his heart beating very slowly. "How did she lie to you?"

"She told me she loved me almost three hundred years ago. I'd been stupid and naïve to actually fall for that. She led me into _her _apartment and we spent a few nights together before she finally told me what she was and changed me in the same night. I hadn't thought _this _was something permanent. The pain of the transformation was… _excruciating, _to say the least."

"I wasn't able to feel the pain of mine," I whispered, staring up at his face.

He smiled weakly at me. "You're one of the lucky ones then."

"Do you love Padme?"

He sighed and slammed his head into the wall behind him. "Yes and no."

"Why?"

"I'm growing impatient with you, little one."

"What if I told you that I could get you and your companion out of here?"

He lifted his head and stared at me incredulously. "_Would _you?"

"I know you're suffering because of the torture she's going through. I don't like smelling it either. I drink human blood, but… she smells _too potent._"

He smiled. "Well, at least you won't be attempting anything with her for that reason. It's all a matter of age, Vestara."

"So what do you say?"

"If you get us out of here and allow me to get her to a safe place, I will make it up to you in any way possible."

I rolled my eyes. "Just be prepared tomorrow night."


	11. Trust

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

My pain today wasn't as _physical._ It was mainly _emotional._ Ahsoka was lying in the center of my cell, bleeding uncontrollably. Vestara had stayed with me until Padme woke up. I almost lost my mind during the night because the child had so many questions about our kind. I'd wished that Padme hadn't woken up at all though. Once she did, she came into my cell and replaced the gag with fresh blood, followed by placing Ahsoka in here with me.

I was panting and clenching my teeth as I stared at her barely moving form. She shook and curled up into herself every now and then. It scared me when her breaths came in slowly every now and then.

She flipped onto her back and cringed, groaning at the same time. "Master…" she whispered, her voice sounding strained.

I felt myself becoming a monster. I even licked the gag and tasted her blood. Her shaking hands moved as she began to push herself up. She slowly crawled over to me and rested her head in my lap.

I watched her eyes close slowly and she breathed painfully, judging by her painful appearance. She reached up and ran her fingers along my jaw line. Her eyes reopened and were full of tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Your eyes are so red. You need to eat something…"

She struggled to sit up, but managed to nonetheless. She pulled the gag out of my mouth with a lot of effort. "Please, don't," I begged her.

She pressed her lips against mine fiercely. My fangs slowly began to come through as I inhaled her beautiful scent. I began to pant as she moved her neck closer to my mouth. "A-Ahsoka…"

I closed my eyes and was able to force myself to _kiss _her neck. "Do it," she whispered. "I trust you."

"I can't…"

She moved to kiss my lips again. Our kisses were brief and _desperate._ It felt as if she knew we weren't going to be together much longer. After all the torture she's gone through, I didn't doubt that she believed in that idea. If I had her body and weaknesses, surely I would feel the same. We both gasped for breath before becoming involved in passionate kisses.

She managed to slip her tongue between my lips. I felt it rub over my right fang before she pulled away. "Master, please. I know how much you need it. Your fangs have come in."

"Later," I ground out, attempting to force my fangs to disappear. I needed to learn to control myself or I'd be the death of her. "I can't heal you with my blood or she'll kill you, Ahsoka. I can't risk hurting you. Especially not right this moment."

"I don't need you to heal me."

"You've lost too much blood already, Ahsoka. If I take any more from you, you _might _die."

She gave me a very sad look and it hurt my heart. "Give me your hand," I whispered.

She slowly lifted her hand to mine and intertwined our fingers. "I'm no good for you, Ahsoka. I'm a _killer._ I'm only going to hurt you. It's only a matter of time before I kill _you._ You're too… I don't know. You have a _lot _to live for."

"That's no excuse."

"Look at my eyes," I whispered angrily. "Is _this _something you want to live with for the rest of your life?"

"You're my Master. I'm forced to live with you."

I ground my teeth together and stared into her eyes until they glazed over. "You _will _go sit in the corner of the room and stay _quiet._"

She silently walked over to the corner I'd motioned at and sat cross legged.

Twenty minutes of pure silence past. She stared at me as I seethed. I kept myself under control for the most part. "Ahsoka," I snapped.

Her eyes blinked slowly and shifted in my direction. Her stare was still blank from the compulsion. "Put the gag back in my mouth," I whispered.

She got up and came closer to me. She gave me a sad look as she began to go back to normal. "Kiss me," I whispered, staring up into her sad, yet beautiful, blue eyes.

She bent down slightly and pressed her warm lips against mine. Her hands rested on my shoulders and she moaned quietly. This was our last kiss before we'd escape tonight. Afterwards, I'd wipe her memory of all of this pain and she'd wake up in our dorm, wondering what in the Force had happened.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, staring at me in concern after our lips parted.

I nodded silently and stared up at her. She took the gag in her hands and wiped some of her blood on it. "A little of me, just in case…"

"You will _not _die," I growled. "Do _not _say that."

She put more of her blood on the gag and shoved it into my mouth, tying it behind my head. She kissed my forehead and brushed my hair out of my eyes.

She slowly lowered herself to rest her head on my lap, Her right hand rested on my hip and held it tightly. Her legs ran beneath my left leg that was bent slightly.

Padme entered as Ahsoka's eyes closed. I glared at Padme and moved my leg close to myself in a defensive position. Regardless of how hungry I was, I wanted to protect her. "Wow, she's still alive? I'm surprised."

She walked closer to us and bent down to inspect Ahsoka. "No bite marks at all? Huh." She gently picked Ahsoka up. "More for me," she said, shrugging.

My eyes widened and I leapt forward, much to my own regret. The chains restricted me _and _pained me as they dug into my wrists once again. I hurt myself even more as Padme carried my small Padawan away. My screams were muffled by the gag as she left the room.

I quieted down enough to where I could hear her chaining Ahsoka up. Afterwards, she left. She chuckled under her breath, knowing that I'd done enough to myself.

I sighed in relief and hit my head against the wall. I heard Padme's footsteps heading back to her room on the far end of the ship.

I knew that Vestara would enter soon enough. I'd promised her some information the next time I saw her.

Right on cue, Vestara entered quickly. "Did you learn anything while I was asleep?"

She pulled the gag down and I sighed in relief, nodding. "There's a note somewhere in her room along with a few other possessions that belong to you. The drain chains restrict a lot of my abilities, so I was lucky enough to probe her mind for a few minutes. I've upheld my part of the deal. Now –"

"I _never _go back on my word, Anakin. I'll get you _both _out of here."

I nodded. She continued to stare at me nervously. "Will you… Will you kill me after I help you?"

I thought about that for a moment. If she was willing to help us escape her mother figure, then she must be loyal enough to me. Perhaps she was lucky enough to receive Jedi training at my own request. "_No._ The only person you should be afraid of is Padme. I don't kill without reason, so it's in _your _best interest to stay on my good side."

"Vampires of your age have a _good _side?"

"Go learn about your history before I change my mind about killing you," I growled.

She repositioned the gag and blurred out of the room. A few minutes later, Padme returned and began to torture Ahsoka. I listened to Vestara rummaging through Padme's belongings until she finally unfolded a piece of paper.

Pieces of my black heart began to shatter each time Ahsoka cried out. It felt like her pain was a wooden stake to the heart…

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

Tear trickled down my cheeks as I read the note over and over again. I definitely owed Anakin for this. He'd shown me that Padme was a lying monster. Since he'd been telling the truth, I knew I could trust him _completely._

The note was from my parents and it sounded as if they knew something was going to happen to them.

My eyes skimmed over the lines a bit slower this time. "_Vestara, this note was meant to remain in secret unless something happened to your father and I. We've seen mysterious things happening around our home and we're concerned for you. If something happens to us, I hope you'll survive. You deserve a chance in this world, my daughter. You may be very young right now, but you need to know that we've always been proud of you._"

I could almost hear the blasters being shot off in my head as I traced over a drop of blood in the corner of the page. Some of the wording had been smeared by tears, I assumed. "_You're a beautiful girl, Vestara. Your father and I love you very much. We love you much more than you've ever realized._"

I wiped my eyes and glanced into the closet once again. There was a small box that the note had been on top of. I pulled it to me with the Force and opened it to find a locket. My name was engraved on the outside of it, so I could only assume that it belonged to me.

I put it on and opened it up gently, not wanting to destroy whatever I had left of my original family. I saw a very beautiful woman on the left with a very handsome man beside her. I smiled, seeing that these were my _real _parents. I could immediately find the similarities in our appearances.

My attention was diverted as I heard Anakin's muffled crying. I heard the girl going through a normal torture routine and I realized that I had to get him and his Padawan out of here soon. Padme would kill them if she couldn't get Anakin to join her. She could do _much _worse to the Togruta if he didn't join her and I feared that…

I could tell just by his cries that he didn't want her to suffer. He didn't want to make her a vampire either and I could sympathize for him. I didn't like being thirsty all the time and he'd had to suffer much longer than I had.

My only problem was getting them out of here without Padme realizing it. Count Dooku had left with Ventress during the night to sort out an issue with some bounty hunters. It was supposedly about a deal they made that had gone terribly wrong. Grievous took a shuttle and escaped to his lair to repair a bunch of machinery this morning. That only left Padme and I along with Anakin and his Padawan.

I glanced around Padme's room, attempting to find something useful. I knew that she kept drugs within her desk drawer, claiming that she'd use it if our prisoners misbehaved and treated her unfairly. She even had one that could transform the purest of souls into the darkest of demons. I was kind of surprised that she hadn't used it on Anakin yet. It could be the fact that he had to be in plenty of physical pain. He'd also have to carry such a tremendous amount of sadness in order for the transformation to take place.

That's what she was leading up to. The pain he felt now was being intensified because of his vampire emotions. If she could _kill _him inside, he'd be able to transform without a problem.

I stood up, clutching the note to my chest as I moved. I found the sedations she kept in her nightstand. How was I supposed to make her take them though?

I held the bottle up and realized that they were liquid sedations. In the corner of my eye, I found a bottle of wine that was half full. I cocked an eyebrow as I unscrewed the cap. I immediately poured the drugs into it and panned out my hearing to listen for her.

The Padawan's cells opened, shortly followed by Anakin's.

I quickly moved to replace the box in its original position. Once I'd accomplished moving everything back into their original spots, I blurred out of the room.

I sighed when I reached my quarters and I locked the door. I heard Anakin going through plenty of torture. Padme would attempt to seduce him and he'd snap at her. She would hit him, bite him, or threaten him with his Padawan's life until he was in tears.

She left him and entered her dorm. I heard her sigh as she guzzled the contents of her wine bottle. I just had to wait for the sedatives to work their magic on her.

After almost an hour, I felt Padme's aura relax. I knew that she was completely out of it, so I left my quarters.

I crept into the halls and silently made my way towards Anakin's cell. He looked _awful _and unconscious. There was a red mark in the shape of a hand on his right cheek and blood was dripping down his arms from his wrists. His hair was a mess, looking as if he'd slept with Padme instead of being tortured by her.

I quietly shut the door and his head snapped up. He had a wild, scared look in his eyes as he stared at me. I hadn't realized that he'd be this afraid if I'd made too much noise.

He grunted a little through the gag in his mouth until I quickly undid it. He coughed and a bunch of blood came up. I stroked his cheek and he stared at me curiously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You didn't lie to me."

"I have no reason to," he whispered. "I'm sorry that you had to find out this way."

"I'm sorry that you and your Padawan have suffered this much. I know now how much it hurts to have something you love ripped away from you. I feel… _hollow _inside."

I unchained him after I finished speaking and he rested a shaking hand on my shoulder. "You know what, Vestara?"

"What?" I felt almost afraid to ask because it didn't feel right.

"I _knew _you weren't like her."

I gave him a half smile, completely appreciating what he'd just said. "But that doesn't change anything I've done. I've taken so many lives…"

He looked at me sadly for a few moments and shocked me with his next movement. I felt surprised as his arms wound around me and he hugged me gently.


	12. Escape

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Vestara helped me off of the floor for the first time in days. It took me a few moments to balance myself, but what mattered right now was getting Ahsoka back to Coruscant.

We stopped outside of the cell door and I glanced over at Vestara. The smell of Ahsoka's Togruti blood was intoxicating to our kind and was, supposedly, the sweetest blood in regards to its taste.

Vestara and I shared a very hungry look with each other. I was forcing myself to regain my control, but it was very difficult. It didn't help that I hadn't had anything to quench my thirst in the last few days of my captivity.

I watched her reach into her robes and pull something out. It was a decent sized flask. I cocked an eyebrow as she whispered, "Here, drink."

She handed me the flask. I cautiously opened it and the smell of a drunken human filled my nostrils. I quickly gulped it down and was somewhat satisfied.

I forced the door to open though I had no key. I ripped it right off of its hinges and stormed into the room, stopping as my Padawan's bloody body came into full view.

She was against the wall in Force binders and passed out. I knelt down in front of her and stared at her sadly. I rubbed over the facial markings on her cheeks and glanced over at Vestara. She hit a control panel and Ahsoka folded into my arms.

That's when I noticed that she'd received more damage to her beautiful body. Being that her clothing was torn in a few areas, I was able to see three open cuts across her stomach, a deep gash in her shoulder, and I was able to feel another deep wound running along her back.

My lips trembled as her head hung back unconsciously. I hated what Padme had done to her and I wanted to kill the witch so badly right this moment. "Anakin, come on. We need to leave now."

I swallowed back all of my hatred and gently pulled Ahsoka against my chest. Her montrals were just over my shoulder and her hands were in her lap. Her legs dangled over my right arm and I managed to calm myself to the point where I _almost _didn't want to take her life.

Vestara led me to a shuttle in the small hangar bay. She immediately ran into the cockpit and began to prep the ship for takeoff. There was a decent sized bed embedded into the wall, so I gently laid Ahsoka on it.

I stood over her, attempting to get myself used to the smell of her blood. Her hands were folded over her stomach and the only movement she made was from breathing what seemed like a hardly stable rhythm. I touched her lek and rubbed one of the stripes gently.

Being that I had better sight than normal humans, I could see the fading bruises amongst the newly made ones. She began to breathe quicker and my eyes immediately locked onto her face.

I grabbed her hand and she quickly attempted to kick me and swung her arm out, nearly hitting my nose. I shushed her and hugged her gently, being very careful because she was still severely damaged. "Get away from me!" she screamed.

"Ahsoka," I whispered, kissing the side of her face. "Ahsoka, calm down. You're with _me _now. You're _safe._"

She opened her eyes and stared at me with tears in them. Her struggling ceased and she flung herself at me, wrapping her arms around me as tightly as her aching limbs could. I was surprised by the fact that she didn't care about how close I was to slaughtering her. She knew I was one hundred percent capable of taking her life in the snap of a finger.

She could see the blood red coloring of my eyes, yet she still held me. She trembled against me and I hugged her, attempting to comfort her in the process.

I crawled into the small space against the wall and held her against my body. Her legs curled up against my midsection and I stroked her lek slowly. Her eyes were closed, but I could see the tears trailing down her cheeks as she lay beside me.

I sang softly to her. It was a song I'd learned from my mother when I was younger. She told me that it was a beautiful Huttese song, but I couldn't understand some of the lyrics.

She smiled slightly and drifted off into sleep. I kissed her forehead and slipped over her without waking her up again.

I walked back into the cockpit to see Vestara glance over her shoulder at me. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

She sighed and shook her head. "All right, if you say so."

I sat in the passenger seat and leaned forward, rubbing my temples. I was glad to be heading back to Coruscant. As of a few years ago, it was my official home. I was feeling homesick right now…

An hour went by quickly and I stared out of the viewing screen, staring at the swirls of hyperspace. Vestara wanted to talk to me, but she was very reserved as of right now. She wasn't sure if I'd keep to my word and allow her to live.

I had no intention of killing her.

I shook my head and stood up. "Where are you going?"

"To sleep," I muttered. "It'll get my mind off of Ahsoka's blood."

"You're going to feel terrible once you wake up."

"I trust that you won't hurt her."

"That's a very –"

I gave her a look and she silenced herself.

I walked past her and crawled over Ahsoka again, lying behind her. I nervously put my arm over her and was able to drift off into sleep quickly.

**Later.**

My head was throbbing with unbearable pain as I began to wake up. Vestara had been right and I hated to admit that. I felt awful as I removed myself from Ahsoka and leapt over her.

I walked back into the cockpit and rested my hand on the back of her seat. She jumped slightly and I smirked.

Judging by the coordinates on the panel, we would be arriving on Coruscant shortly.

I glanced at the broken comlink on my wrist and cocked an eyebrow before gasping. I cursed myself under my breath and blurred over to the communications panel. I'd forgotten to inform the Jedi of our escape _and _of Vestara's presence.

"What are you doing?" she asked, curiosity and fear the dominant feelings as of this moment.

"I forgot to tell them that you're with me."

"Do they even _know _who I am?"

"No, but if I don't tell them before we land, they more than likely will _not _take very kindly to you." I glanced at her and bit my lip. She stared at me with pure confusion for a few moments.

"Why?" she asked painfully. "I never hurt –" Realization dawned on her features. "_Oh. _Because of _her _right?"

I sighed and nodded. I jammed Obi-Wan's frequency into the panel quickly since I knew it by heart. I waited impatiently for him to connect with me. Once he did, I felt so relieved.

"_General Ken – Anakin! Are you all right?_" My old Master appeared to seem relieved, yet worried all in the same.

I smiled at his hologram weakly and he didn't smile back at me. He glanced over at Vestara and I soon followed his motion. She always had the same look whenever she met someone new. It was almost like one of the pets that humans get attached to. I had to admit, her look was _sort of _cute. It was amusing as well.

"_And who, dare I ask, is this?_"

"Obi-Wan, this is Vestara. She's… like _me._"

He cocked an eyebrow. "_And how did you meet Vestara?_"

I sighed and quickly, yet briefly, explained the entire situation to him. He cringed a bit as I told him about all that Padme had done to Ahsoka, Vestara, and me. I didn't say very much about myself because I knew how worried he could get, regardless of the fact that I was stronger than him in every aspect but one.

I watched Vestara shrink away and cringe as Obi-Wan had.

After I'd finished, Vestara shocked me. "Hello," she whispered, sounding shy. "Who are _you?_"

Obi-Wan seemed shocked as well. He obviously hadn't thought that she'd talk to him. I chuckled to myself. "_Well, she's _definitely _not like Padme. I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, young one. I am Anakin's _former _Master._"

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I take… your first statement as a compliment," she whispered.

Obi-Wan smiled at her and stroked his beard. "_Very well then. I've just returned to Coruscant, Anakin. I'll be sure to explain the situation to the Council. Anakin, I would like the three of you to head to the medbay immediately upon your arrival. Judging by your appearance, I would say none of you are in perfect condition. You look _awful."

"Thanks," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "I'll be sure to take Ahsoka there once I arrive. Thank you, Obi-Wan."

I shut the panel off and leaned back in my chair, sighing. If anything, this experience was going to be most interesting. Up until this moment, I had been the only '_special_' Jedi, as the Council had labeled me.

Special was defined as _outcast _or _freak of nature _in my book, so I didn't entirely take that as a compliment.

"Are you okay?"

I closed my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "Yeah, I'm fine, Vestara."

"You aren't being very open with me."

"I've never been very open with _anyone._"

I small hand rested on my shoulder and my eyes opened. I glanced over my shoulder to see Ahsoka's orange skin. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty bad," she whispered. "But I wanted to check on you."

I stared sadly into her eyes. "You should be resting."

"You're going to take my memory, aren't you?"

I turned away from her and remained silent. "Master, tell me –"

"As much as I want to say no, I _can't._ I _have _to do it, Ahsoka."

Vestara's eyes were locked on Ahsoka, but I could see that her hunger had simmered… _slightly._ "Why are you doing this to me? I care about you. If you care about me –"

I spun around and practically flew out of the chair. I grabbed her wrist and growled under my breath. "Do _not _play that card with me, Ahsoka."

Her lips trembled slightly and fear was the only feeling within the shuttle. I, myself, had no feeling as of right now. I was just _numb._ "Anakin, you're hurting her!"

I gasped quietly and released her wrist. She held it up to her chest and lowered her head. I glanced at Vestara and she knew my control was slipping.

I gently touched Ahsoka and wrapped my arm around her, taking her into the back with me. She sat on the small bed and held her wrist. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

She shook her head. "Don't be."

"I _do _care about you. I just feel that this is something you need to forget. I'm not sure if you can live with this monster. When you thought I was normal, you were somewhat comfortable with me."

"I'm just as comfortable with you as I was. I was scared at first, but I've accepted the fact that you're different. You're unique. You don't fit in with the crowd and I love you."

I bit my lip and she lifted her good hand up to my face, rubbing my jaw. "I love you, Master."

"I'm sorry, Ahsoka."

"For what?"

I stared into her eyes until they became unfocused. "You don't remember anything that's happened to you in the last few days. The last thing you remember is me lecturing you about love."

"That's all I remember," she whispered, not being able to tear her gaze away from me.

"Go to sleep," I whispered. "And don't wake up until I tell you to."

I held onto her as her eyes closed and her body became limp. I gently laid her down onto the bed and kissed her forehead.

She would appreciate the fact that I'd done this in the future. Keeping this from her was my best bet at remaining partially sane.


	13. Return Home

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I came back into the cockpit and watched Vestara stare at the ground for a few moments. I walked towards her and sat down in the co-pilot's seat. Her aura became very worried and sad. I slowly reached over to touch the arm of her chair and she jumped. "What's up?" I whispered.

She just stared at my arm. "If you're going to kill me, can you just get it over with already?"

I stared at her in shock. I admit, I had been _very _rude to her, but I had absolutely no intention of taking her young life. "Look, I already told you that the only person you had to fear was Padme. I'm not lying to you. That's the absolute truth."

"Yeah, whatever," she muttered in a typical teenage voice.

I sighed in aggravation and rubbed my temples. She sighed lightly and glanced at me finally. "I'm sorry, okay? I just… _don't know._"

I glanced at her again and saw her shaking slightly. I stood and moved closer to her. I cautiously wrapped my left arm around her. We stayed like this for a while before we were told that we could land.

As the shuttle stopped moving, she rested her hand on mine. She stared up at me and looked afraid. The shaking had stopped for the most part, too. "Everything will be fine," I whispered.

She looked as if she didn't believe me and I couldn't really blame her for it. She nodded and stood, exiting the shuttle first.

I walked into the back and lifted Ahsoka into my arms. My thumb rubbed over the dried blood on her arms as I carried her down the ramp and onto the landing dock.

Captain Rex came up to me with Obi-Wan. I was reluctant to hand Ahsoka off to the captain as he held his arms out for her, but I forced myself to let go. He carried her bridal style and hurried off to the medbay to have her checked out and healed up immediately. If it came down to her needing instantaneous recovery, I'd give her some of my blood in her sleep.

Vestara came back to me and stood beside me as Obi-Wan's eyes roamed over us both individually.

He cleared his throat and shook his head. "The Council has called for an immediate meeting."

I cocked an eyebrow and he briefly nodded at Vestara when she looked up at me.

"Oh," I whispered. He now wore a somewhat unhappy face, yet still managed to smile at her. She smiled back at him weakly. He extended his hand towards her and she reluctantly took it.

"I apologize that we couldn't have met under better circumstances, young one."

She released his hand and shrugged. "We're going to the Council to talk about your… _predicament._"

To my surprise her aura remained very calm. All of the nervousness and fear washed away. "I understand," she said.

Obi-Wan nodded at her and turned. The three of us began walking into the temple and immediately made our way to the Council chambers.

I felt somewhat afraid as we entered the room. I couldn't comprehend any other emotions as of right now. All eyes were on Vestara and she didn't appreciate that.

Obi-Wan left the two of us alone in the center of the room and went to take his own seat. Vestara shifted uncomfortably beside me as the Masters continued to scrutinize everything about her.

"Make a report on your mission, you will?" Master Yoda asked.

Several of the Masters blinked and glanced away from us. I slowly and briefly explained _everything _to them since they were the only Jedi in the Order to know about _my kind._ I revisited the first meeting we'd had, the one that assigned us the mission to Mustafar. I told them everything up until our current arrival.

I'd left a few details out. They didn't need to pity me for my bloodlust, nor did I want them to be sickened by all that had happened to Ahsoka. They all could understand that I didn't want to discuss anything that related to blood.

After I had finished my verbal report, I felt fear looming in the atmosphere of the room. An unending silence and nervousness came over them. I watched Obi-Wan curiously, getting a strange feeling that he wanted to say something.

He stroked his beard for a few moments and I cocked an eyebrow. "I would like to train her to become a Jedi," I said, breaking the silence.

The Masters gasped audibly and stared at me in disbelief. I glanced down at Vestara and she glared up at me. She didn't seem as happy as I'd imagined she'd be. She actually looked _offended._

Master Windu cleared his throat and gave me his usual glare. "How do _you _know _she _can be trusted, Skywalker?"

I returned the glare and tore my gaze away from Vestara's eyes. I felt a bit more confident in myself as I continued to speak. "My Padawan was _dying _from a massive loss of blood. Vestara didn't do _anything _to harm her. If I didn't trust her, I wouldn't be standing here, defending her."

Windu shook his head and sighed in frustration. "You still cannot have more than one Padawan. That is the ancient rule and it shall not be broken."

I was about to start an argument with him and whoever else wanted to join in, but Obi-Wan cleared his throat, drawing all eyes upon himself. Vestara, however, would not meet anyone's eyes. Her own eyes were glued to the floor.

"With the Council's permission, I would like to take Vestara as _my _Padawan."

I stared at him in shock, gaping. Once again, a few Masters gasped. Vestara's head even snapped up and she gaped at him as well.

I watched Master Yoda's green face crinkle up as his lips formed a smile. "Grant you permission, we do. Experienced, you are, with this situation. Separate quarters, you shall stay in." He glanced at Vestara sadly. "Still uncertain of you, we are."

Vestara nodded and bowed in a very solemn manner. Windu stood up and groaned slightly. "Meeting dismissed."

Obi-Wan stood and came towards Vestara and me. The three of us walked out of the chambers side by side. I could feel her tension as she stared at her boots. "Obi-Wan, why did you take me up as your Padawan?" she asked, stopping suddenly.

Obi-Wan and I paused and turned to look at her. My eyes were locked on his face, waiting for his answer. "I've trained Anakin well enough. I think I can handle you. Besides," he whispered, glancing in my direction. "I don't know what would have happened to you if I didn't."

I wasn't sure if he was referring to my apprenticeship or Vestara's. He knew that the Council didn't want to take me in at first. Perhaps he'd been worried that I'd become enraged by that and begin slaughtering the Masters one by one. I glanced at Vestara. The same thing could have happened if he hadn't offered to take her.

Vestara stared down the hallway for a few moments as Obi-Wan watched her. She quickly turned towards me. "Speaking of Padawans, aren't you forgetting something?"

I stared at her in confusion for a moment. "No." She and Obi-Wan cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, man," I whispered. He chuckled and nodded his head towards the medbay. "Ahsoka!" I whispered, my voice breaking slightly.

I spun and sprinted – or rather, _blurred_ – towards the area. There, I found Ahsoka lying on the bed. She still had a few bruises and cuts that were open. I sighed and lifted my wrist to my face, biting into my skin. I lowered it to her mouth and parted her lips slightly, allowing drops of my blood to fall into her mouth.

A few moments past and the wounds began to seal themselves. They would leave scars, but I could at least act as if something else had happened to her. I decided to allow the blood to heal her a few minutes longer.

I blurred out of the medbay and went back into my quarters. Being a vampire had its perks. I showered and dressed myself quickly. I had to look as though I hadn't been beat to death by my vampire ex-girlfriend…

Once I looked presentable, I decided to head back to the medbay. I blurred back into the room to see Ahsoka as still as a corpse, but I could hear her even breathing.

I stroked her cheek for a moment before connecting with her through our bond. "Ahsoka," I whispered. "Wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped. "Master," she whispered, sounding surprised to see me. "What's going on?"

I swallowed, forcing myself to smile weakly as I stared at her. "We were talking and you got upset with me, so you stormed out of the room. We hadn't even prepared to leave for Mustafar, but you're on leave for a little while. You tripped and fell down some stairs, Ahsoka. You've been out for a week."

She looked sad and gave me a very apologetic look. "Master, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I can't imagine how much you've been blaming yourself for my injuries. I don't even remember what we were arguing about…"

I rested my hand on her shoulder as she tried to sit up. I hated to lie directly to her face since she'd put a great amount of trust in me, but it was better that she knew nothing. I bit my lip as a medical droid wheeled over to us. It told me that Ahsoka's body was in a much more stable condition and that she would be better by tomorrow morning. I was also told that visiting hours were over.

I sighed and nodded, gently pushing her backwards. I tucked her in and said good night. She grabbed my wrist before I moved away from her. "Master, are you okay?"

I smiled and nodded slowly. "I'm just fine, Ahsoka."

I gently patted her leg and said good night to her again. "Will you be back in the morning?"

"Of course."

She released my wrist and closed her eyes. I watched her sleep for a few minutes before I finally left her alone to rest.

I walked back to my quarters and heard Vestara in the room beside my own. Until now, this entire hall had just been a row of empty units. I didn't mind, but it was nice to have someone nearby now. Of course, Ahsoka would be back in here with me tomorrow, so I didn't have to worry about being alone for too long.

I entered and lay on my bed for several hours, thinking everything over in my head. I replayed everything unintentionally and suffered just as much as I had the first time I'd gone through it.

I listened to Vestara's sobs in the other room for hours until she'd finally cried herself to sleep. I hadn't gone in there because I didn't know what to say to make her feel better. I focused on her breathing for the next two hours.

As I was drifting off into sleep, I heard her begin to pant and whisper things under her breath. She was begging to be left alone, claiming that she didn't want to be hurt.

I sat up and threw my legs over the side of the bed and listened for a few more moments. As things began to worsen in the other room, I got up and blurred into her room.

I found her on the bed, writhing in pain. I blurred towards her bed. She continued panting as I grabbed her hand.

"Vestara," I whispered. "Vestara! Wake up! It's just a dream!" Her back began to arch off of the mattress.

I grabbed her shoulders and managed to get her back onto the bed. She hit it with a thump and woke up. She was sweating and panting crazily. She curled herself into a ball and I sat there, gaping as I watched her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she muttered. Her gaze was locked onto the bed sheets.

"You were writhing around and screaming in pain. Is this _normal _to you?"

"It happens all the time. It's no big deal. No one's _ever _freaked out about it." She paused when she saw the shocked look I gave her. "I'm sorry…"

I was shocked until I remembered who her _mother _was. Padme probably laughed at her when she was in pain…

"Well," I paused. "I care." She looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shrugged and I waited for her to speak. She finally sighed and gave in. It had been about Padme. Padme was hurting her, biting, scratching, and hitting her. I sighed and felt horrible. That monster was the only thing she'd known and it had been blown out of proportion right before her eyes. I hugged her like I did when she'd helped me escape.

I felt like something had happened between us as she warmly returned the hug. "Vestara," I whispered. She looked up at me in question. "I do care about you and I will never treat you like she did."

"I know," she whispered, smiling weakly at me.


	14. Revenge and Comfort

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

Ahsoka and I were strolling through the Jedi temple. She was giving me a very thorough tour of the entire building, which was pretty impressive. Anakin told her that he owed me a favor for saving him and she didn't question him at all, much to my surprise.

I knew her memories had been wiped, but I still expected her to question him.

As we continued on, I felt several of the Masters' eyes on me. I tried to ignore them as we walked past them, but it was kind of difficult to tune out the gasps that they tried to hide.

We walked past the mess hall and were approaching the library. I heard laughter and spanned my hearing out towards one of the empty rooms near the library.

"_Did you guys hear about how clumsy she was? She fell down the stairs and was in a coma for a week! How pathetic is that?_"

More laughter echoed in my mind. "_I know, right? How could Master Skywalker _possibly _pick her as his Padawan? She didn't even make it through the first week without an incident!_"

I looked at Ahsoka and watched her gaze in the direction of the room. She was rubbing her wrist nervously and I cocked an eyebrow at her. "You okay?" I asked, snapping her out of her trance.

"Huh?" she asked, staring at me with wide eyes. "Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. I just remembered that I've got to see Madam Jocasta Nu in the library."

"Oh, great," I shrugged. "I'll come with you."

Once again, I spanned my hearing out as we walked towards the Padawans. I heard them groan as I offered to go along with her.

"Uh," she stumbled. "Please, don't. I'm fine. I don't want to ruin your day."

"You're not ruining it." She looked worried and I sighed. "If it means that much to you, I'll leave."

She put on a fake smile and left. As she opened the door to the library, I blurred in past her and hid behind one of the shelves. I waited for a few moments before I heard the Padawans enter the library.

Moments later, I heard Ahsoka begin to whimper as their footsteps neared her.

I stepped towards the corner of the shelf I was hiding behind and peeked around the corner. I saw a human male Padawan grab her by her throat while the other male held out her arm. The third was holding a knife.

"I bet you wish your friend hadn't left you now," the one laughed. "You're going to get it now!"

I jumped right into the middle of the boys, throwing them away from us with the Force. "Who said I left?" I threatened. Ahsoka was right behind me, fear surging through her as she sat on the floor.

The Togruti male was struggling to get up. His knife dropped to the floor and I grabbed it with the Force, tucking it into my robes. He lunged forward and grabbed my arm, twisting it.

"Give it back," he growled. I snarled and rammed him into the nearest wall without breaking it. He got up once again, but, before he could do anything, the librarian came up to us and split up the entire scene.

"What's going on here?" Jarkael glanced at me before pushing past the librarian with his _friends. _I was glad to see them leave the library.

I turned back to Ahsoka and extended my hand. She took it and I gently tugged her up into a standing position.

"Thanks," she whispered, smiling weakly at me. I returned the smile with a _real _smile.

"No problem. I think you should go to the medbay though… because you _fell._" She looked at me, shocked, but nodded. Together, we exited the library and made our way towards the medbay. I was surprised that the librarian hadn't pressed the matter. I only assumed that she'd take this directly to Anakin or the Council.

We entered the medbay and I saw the bruises on her back and neck more clearly than I had moments ago.

I made sure she was all right before stepping outside for a moment. I commed Anakin and informed him of Ahsoka's situation, vaguely telling him that she had an incident and was back in the medbay.

Within a minute, he arrived. He didn't look happy at _all._ "What happened?" he snapped, his breath catching slightly. His eyes held so much worry and fear. I could feel his resentment towards me and I only assumed that he was blaming me for her being in here.

"I didn't do anything to her," I sighed, rolling my eyes at him. "It was some Padawan boys. One was Jarkael. There were two others with him, however."

I felt his anger flare and he turned quickly to leave me. I grabbed him by the arm and he growled over his shoulder at me. I forced him to turn and face me. "Don't do something you'll regret," I whispered through my teeth.

He closed his eyes for a few moments and sighed. He shrugged away from me and walked directly into the medbay. I watched him and saw how hard he was trying to keep himself composed. In situations like this, I understood. I wanted to kill Padme because she had hurt someone I'd loved and this was the same for him, though he'd never admit that he loved her. He'd wiped her memories so she wouldn't fall in love with him…

I entered moments later to see him holding her hand. He was whispering bits and pieces of compulsion to ease her pain. If he could steal pieces of her memory, she may forget that she was in pain.

I sat down and watched them for a few minutes before sighing. "I'm going to go. I'll see you later." I stood up and Anakin came towards me, touching my shoulder gently.

"Be safe," he whispered, giving me a very serious look.

I nodded and left.

The Padawans didn't dare bother me as I walked back to my quarters. I took a shower and crawled into bed.

After a few hours, I heard Anakin bring Ahsoka back to their dorm. I fell asleep to the sound of her even breathing.

Black swirls moved across my vision for a good amount of time, but, as always, everything good must come to an end at some point. I saw myself on Tatooine in a tiny house. It was nice.

A figure appeared and she turned around slowly, revealing herself to me. She was the woman from my locket. I gasped and she smiled warmly at me. "_Mom?_" I asked, surprised.

I cried and laughed a little as she smiled wider at me. Moments later, the man that was also in my locket appeared. "_Dad?_" He came closer and I wrapped my arms around them. I was happy as I felt their arms wrapped around me, returning the embrace.

I heard a metallic noise and I opened my eyes, looking over my mother's shoulder. There stood Padme, holding a blaster out. She had a wicked smile on her face and it scared me senseless. "_Oh, how sweet. It makes me _sick."

The blaster cocked and blasts were fired out of it. _Two _blasts were fired. My parents went limp in front of me and I stared in horror at their lifeless bodies. Blood slowly began to drip from their bodies and my throat began to burn. I closed my eyes and felt myself fighting the temptation. "_Vestara? Vestara!_"

That voice had no face in this world, but I knew who it was. My eyes snapped open and I was back in my dark room with Anakin looming above me. His look was exactly as it had been earlier. _Worried._

"You do realize that you don't have to come in here every time I have a nightmare, right?" I asked as I turned to curl myself up into a ball.

I felt his eyes on me. "I know," he whispered.

Suddenly, a sharp pain began to sting my eyes. "Excuse me," I said quickly, blurring out of my bed and into the refresher.

I quickly locked the door and stared at myself in the mirror. I gasped as I witnessed the blood red tint in my eyes.

Anakin hit the door once and I jumped. "What's going on?" he asked, worry laced into his voice.

I didn't answer and he stormed the door, knocking it out of its hinges completely. I turned to look at him and he gasped once he saw my eyes that were now beginning to fill with tears.

He came closer and grabbed my hands. "What was your dream about?"

His voice was so… _soothing. _It didn't go beyond a whisper and there was no anger within it. The deepness of his voice made me feel safe and secure with him. "I saw _them._" I laughed as the tears streamed down my face.

"Saw _who_, exactly?"

"My _parents. _I saw how they died. Padme shot them. _Right in front of me._"

A quiet snarling sound echoed in my thoughts and my eyes rolled back into my head. I collapsed and my world melted away, forming a completely different scene.

I was on the ship that Padme had used to capture Anakin. She was standing directly in front of me. "_So you know?_"

I stared at her in cold silence. She growled and slammed me into the wall. "_Do you know?_" she screamed, throwing me to the floor.

"_Yes. I know and I _hate _you,_" I ground out through my teeth as I glared up at her with hatred. She growled and I whimpered, not wanting to be thrown around like a doll.

"_I hate you, too, child._" She grabbed my left arm and lowered her head towards it. "_In fact, I'll let you see how much I hate you._"

I felt her fangs sink into my skin, sending pain through my arm.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I rushed Vestara into the medbay, holding her in my arms tightly. She had been peaceful for roughly five minutes as I attempted to figure out what had happened, but then she began to scream and cough up blood.

I'd wrapped her up in the sheets as I laid her onto the medical bed. The piece of the sheet that covered her left arm began to stain a dark red coloring. I smelled the blood seeping into the fabric and I groaned in agony.

I forced the sheet off of her and the blood began to move down her arm at an excruciatingly slow pace. I watched in horror as her skin was pierced.

I began to pant as her blood dripped onto the floor. I grabbed the bar on the bed and held onto it for life, hoping that I could make it through this. Regardless of what blood type she was, it still bothered me to smell blood. Honestly, I think this was the _worst _smell I'd ever inhaled.

I forced myself to move my hands towards her temples and attempted to quickly form a bond. It was forced, so I wasn't sure if it would work. I was amazed at how easily she opened her mind up to me and allowed me access.

I saw Padme on top of her. _Laughing._ I growled and lunged forward, fangs bared.

I rammed her into the wall and bit her neck as roughly as I could. It wasn't strong enough to kill her though, unfortunately. I threw her backwards and pulled Vestara into my arms.

I closed my eyes and stroked her hair as I attempted to force us out of this nightmare. We were back in the medbay in a flash. I gasped and pulled away slightly to stare at the injured girl. She was shaking as the med droids began to work on her.

Seeing as though her injuries were pretty severe, I knew she'd be in here for the remainder of the night. She lifted her arm and I glanced at it with her, my jaw falling as I did so.

The word '_revenge_' was engraved into her skin. I looked up at her eyes to see tears forming in them. I lifted my mechanical hand to stroke her cheek. I brushed her hair back and she collapsed into my chest.

She began to cry and I stroked her hair. I closed my eyes and rested my head on top of hers. "I'm here for you," I whispered. I felt tears beginning to form in my own eyes, but I couldn't allow them to fall. _Not in front of her._

I heard the words, "Thank you," escape her lips through the sobs and I held her for the rest of the night.


	15. The Truth Revealed Once Again

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I stayed with Vestara throughout the night and neither of us slept. She lied to the medical droids when she said that she'd actually gotten some sleep.

Obi-Wan entered as the droids began to assess her injuries.

"What happened?" he asked, coming close to me. He kept his voice down even though we both knew Vestara could hear us.

I sighed and began to explain the situation as briefly as I could. His eyes widened several times before I finished. I didn't tell him about her dream, however. He didn't need to know about it.

"How in the blazes could Padme cause her physical damage through a Force bond? I thought it was impossible."

"Apparently _not,_" I said, glancing over at her. The medical droids were bandaging her arm.

"This will leave a scar," a mechanized voice told her.

"I'm sure that was the idea," she muttered, rubbing the gauze on her arm. I sighed and returned my attention to Obi-Wan.

"Master, I sense that you've come for another reason. What is it?"

He sighed and gave me a look that I didn't quite understand. I wondered if he came here about something _I _did. _Was it even about me?_

"The Padawans that… _attacked _Ahsoka said that Ahsoka _and _Vestara attacked them _first. _The Council is demanding their presence before any decisions are made in regards to their… _future._"

I knew what he meant by _future. _A Padawan or two would be removed from the Order, while those who were innocent would remain. I gust of wind blew past me and Vestara was at my side within moments.

"I'm ready," she whispered. Obi-Wan and I glanced at her in curiosity. "I… _overheard _your conversation."

Obi-Wan and I shared a look. He didn't like the fact that there was another of my kind here for _that _reason. He nodded at her and we began to leave the medbay and head towards the Council chambers.

When we arrived, Ahsoka was standing in the center of the room with the three Padawans beside her. They got _lucky. _If Vestara hadn't been there to stop me last night… Let's just say that they _wouldn't _be standing before the Council right now.

Ahsoka looked over her shoulder and our eyes locked. I stepped closer to her and put my hands on her shoulders, hoping to relax her.

The tense muscles in her shoulders _did _relax after she felt me behind her. I rubbed her skin with my thumbs and smiled weakly at her when she looked up again.

She returned the smile and even leaned against me slightly. If I hadn't remembered that I'd wiped her memory, I would have sworn that she would still be in love with me…

If feeling me against her kept her calm, then so be it.

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

I stood between Ahsoka and the other Padawans. They backed away from me as I took my spot. They were attempting to keep up the façade of being afraid of me. It almost looked as if they were mocking me, chanting, "_We're so scared,_" over and over again.

"Disturbing news, this is. Attacked by you, they claim they were. To these accusations, what do you say? Hm?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jarkael smirk at me. "They attacked Ahsoka while she was showing me around the temple. She thought I left her when she entered the library, but I stuck around because I heard them talking about her."

Jarkael gaped at me and screamed, "You couldn't have heard us! We were in a different room!"

I bit my tongue and looked back at Anakin. He gave me a very menacing look, silently commanding me to keep everything under control. I had to admit, his look intimidated me in that moment. His eyes were a darker shade than they had been before.

I swallowed and turned back to the Masters. They knew of my situation and they would have to play it off as though they knew nothing. "Confused, I am, Padawan. Know of their presence, I thought you did not. Ambushed, I thought you boys were?"

Jarkael's eyes widened and he began to ramble on, stuttering excuses that made no sense whatsoever. "Well… she… she took my knife! She _stole _it! Doesn't that count for _something?_"

"You were trying to stab Ahsoka with it," I said calmly. I felt Anakin's anger flare for a brief moment. Ahsoka cringed beside me and I realized that Anakin must have, unintentionally, hurt her shoulders. "What else was I supposed to do in this situation?"

He growled as his Togruti instincts in regards to anger took over. He was in my face and Ahsoka was pulled back by Anakin. He wanted to keep her as safe as he possibly could.

"If you hadn't interrupted, maybe we would have had that little son of a –"

"Do _not _finish that sentence," a deep, dark masculine voice growled behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Anakin's eyes as red as blood.

"Guilty, you are. Too many complaints of you, we have. Abusive and corrupt, you are. Expelled from the Jedi Order, you shall be."

For the first time during the meeting, Master Windu spoke up. "Master Mundi will escort you out of the temple. You are forbidden from ever setting foot on our grounds again."

Master Mundi rose up from his seat and walked towards Jarkael. He stood in front of him and motioned for him to move and exit the room. Jarkael shook his head and looked at me, pointing accusingly. "I'll get you for this! You'll see!" He glared around the room. "You'll _all _pay for expelling me!"

Anakin growled and I made a lunge towards him to keep him from going after the mortal. Ahsoka looked up at Anakin in fear. I was thankful that his eyes had gone back to their normal coloring.

Jarkael was then dragged out of the Council chambers after a few more insults escaped his mouth. I sighed once Anakin stopped trying to break out of my grip. The first thing that came to mind was, "_Oh great, another person bent on getting revenge…_"

I released Anakin once Jarkael was a safe distance from the chambers. He was seething until Ahsoka touched his arm. Instantly, his attention snapped to her and his breathing returned to normal.

I watched her stare up at him in awe. I was surprised that she was giving him such a look, but perhaps she liked that he was so caring for her. Honestly, she deserved someone like him. He could protect her from everything and he, no doubt, loved her in return.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, her eyes never leaving his.

I watched him force a smile and nod. His eyes were also locked with hers, as if he were captivated in her gaze. I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I'm all right," he whispered.

Her breath caught after he smiled at her and her heart picked up its pace.

"I'll be in my quarters if you need me," I interrupted.

Both of them looked at me with widened eyes. I smirked at him. "S-see you later, Vestara."

"Have fun," I muttered under my breath as I walked out of the large hall.

"I'll kill you," he threatened. It was an _empty _threat.

I chuckled.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Ahsoka and I left shortly after Vestara did. Obi-Wan and the other Masters wanted to make sure Ahsoka would be all right and I stayed with her even though she told me I could leave.

As we left the chambers and began wandering through the halls aimlessly, she began to rub her arm nervously. I briefly heard her teeth digging into her lip and I smelled the blood as a drop trickled down from it.

I paused abruptly and closed my eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked quickly, sounding shocked and feeling afraid.

I focused on my breathing instead of my hunger and eventually calmed down. "Nothing. I thought I felt something out of place. It was nothing," I whispered.

She grabbed my hand as I passed her. I tensed up and looked down at her. Once again, I found my eyes locked with hers.

Every single time she did that to me, I couldn't tear my gaze away from her. "Master, something's not right. You've been… _different _ever since I came to. What happened while I was out?"

The truth threatened to come out of my mouth as she stared at me. I couldn't think properly at this moment in time, but I knew, eventually, she would need to know the truth. "A lot," I whispered.

I gently tugged on her hand and brought her back towards the wall with me. She trusted me, but she was still afraid in this moment.

I released her hand and slid down the wall. She stared at me curiously before taking a seat beside me. She kept staring at my face as I closed my eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I opened my eyes and stared at the wall ahead of me. "Yes, I do."

She remained completely silent and allowed me time to collect my thoughts. Her hand took mine and she held it tightly, reassuring me that I was allowed to tell her anything.

My problem in this moment was that I didn't like the way we were holding hands. I shifted our hands so that our fingers were intertwined. She gasped quietly and I looked at her. "I lied to you," I whispered. "You didn't fall or anything."

"What?"

"I was kidnapped. We arrived on Mustafar and this… this…" I couldn't grope for the appropriate word without becoming _inappropriate. _"_Monster _captured me. I forced you to leave and come back to get the Masters. You followed my orders, but came along nonetheless."

"That sounds like me," she laughed.

I frowned and she bit her lip again. "I was… _hurt_, to say the least. You were captured shortly afterwards and tortured as well."

Her grip tightened and she couldn't stop gaping at me. "I hated what she did to you," I whispered. "It hurt me so much to hear you screaming and crying and –"

"Don't make yourself relive it, Master. I don't want you to hurt…"

I sighed and closed my eyes. "You admitted that you loved me."

"I-I _did?_"

"You never have to say it again if you don't –"

"I do love you," she said nervously.

I swallowed, forcing myself not to think about biting her. "But you can't, Ahsoka. There's things you don't know about me, things you _shouldn't _know about me."

"Like what?"

I pursed my lips and remained silent as her eyes began to pierce through me. "And how do I not remember _any _of this? I don't have a terrible memory, but there's _nothing _whatsoever."

A few members of the Jedi began to pass through the halls. We separated our connected hands and stood up quickly. She looked at me and desperation, wanting to know the truth.

I gently grabbed her wrist and led her down the hall and around a corner, leading to our dorm. Vestara wasn't in the dorm like she said she'd be, so I only assumed that she'd gone out to satiate her thirst.

I took Ahsoka into the dorm and turned around, putting my hands on her shoulders. "I took your memory from you. I couldn't allow you to remember anything because I said things that hurt you. I said things that I shouldn't have said."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm… Ahsoka, I'm not human."

Her eye markings raised in confusion. "What are you then?"

Slowly, I forced my mouth to open and allowed my fangs to come through. She gasped and her eyes widened. I released her quickly and she backed up into the door. "Please, don't be afraid of me. I'm not going to hurt you, Ahsoka."

Her back and palms were pressed up against the door. "Y-you're a bloodsucker?"

I nodded slowly, frowning deeper than I had before. Her eyes closed and she breathed heavily, sounding as if she were about to burst into tears.

After a few minutes, her eyes opened and she stepped closer to me. I watched her as she took my hands and intertwined our fingers. "I don't care what you are. You're my friend. You've done nothing to hurt me. All you've done is take care of me and I appreciate that. I'm not happy about you removing my memory, but I understand why you did it."

I couldn't speak, but my thoughts seemed to work just fine. _They ran off without me._ I leaned down towards her slowly and closed my eyes as my lips pressed against hers.

In that moment, I expected her to pull away in fear.

I admit, I was surprised when her hands held mine tighter and she began to return my kisses just as passionately.

I wanted to pull away from her, but I _couldn't._ The feeling of her kept me this way.

Moments later, she pulled away for breath that I didn't require. I slid my lips towards her neck and gently planted kisses along her veins.

Without thinking, my fangs came in. She jumped when they pressed up against her neck. I pulled back quickly and tried to force myself to regain control. Her hands touched the side of my face and my eyes snapped open. "Do it," she whispered.

I knew my eyes were blood red and my thirst was beginning to kill me. I couldn't hurt her though. "I trust you."

Slowly, without looking away from her eyes, I lowered my face towards her neck. I gently slid my fangs across the bare skin and she shivered. Her body pressed against mine and I _lost it._

I sank my fangs into her orange skin and slowly began to taste her blood. The taste was just as sweet as the scent had been and I thoroughly enjoyed it. She moaned in pleasure and rubbed my back slowly.

After about thirty seconds, I forced myself away from her neck. I licked her skin, taking the last drops of blood into my mouth. I pressed my mechanical hand against her neck and stared into her beautiful, blue eyes.

She smiled up at me and I felt relieved by the fact that I hadn't killed her, nor had I transformed her. "I love you."

I felt my chest warm up as her hands roamed over it. "And I love you," I whispered.

I gently lifted her chin, tilting her face towards mine. I lowered myself to devour her lips gently and slowly, allowing us to embrace the wonderful feeling.


	16. The Threat

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

We had another meeting with the Council the following morning. They told me not to bring Ahsoka, but she came along nonetheless. Essentially, they were just warning Vestara and me. They still resented me for my past actions and they didn't want Vestara to begin following in my footsteps.

Ahsoka and I left the chambers together and she was hot on my heels. My eyes were locked with the tiles on the floor. I didn't look at her as she tried to keep up with me. I _couldn't._

Once we reached our dorm, the door shut behind her. She sat down on her bed quietly as I stormed over to my desk and took a seat. I was upset with myself for biting her last night. I'd done it three times and I'd been lucky to not have killed her.

She didn't deserve any of this. Everything that's happened recently ran through my head as fast as lightning struck. I could hear her screams and cries as Padme tortured her, I could feel her lips against mine as we kissed, I could hear her moans of pleasure and pain as I bit her beautiful neck…

The screams and cries echoed in my head over and over until I couldn't take it anymore. "Padme," I growled.

I slammed my fist down onto the desk, completely shattering the HoloPad beneath my hand. I heard Ahsoka jump and her heart began to race.

"Master, please, it's not your fault."

I laughed darkly and shook my head. "Everything's my fault, Ahsoka. Padme wasn't lying to you when she told you I was a monster. Everything I've done finds its way back into the present no matter how hard I try to keep it under wraps."

I felt her anger flare within the Force and I laughed. She had _every _right to hate me. I told her everything she needed to know and more last night and I even allowed her memories to come back to her. If she didn't hate me after all of the horrible things I'd done, then I was shocked.

Actually, she'd told me that she still loved me, so I _am _shocked.

She got up off of the bed quickly and stormed over to me. I glanced up at her as she neared me. "Anakin Skywalker, don't you _ever _say that again! Nothing that… that _woman _ever told me was true! Especially in regards to you!"

I stood up, directly facing her. She backpedaled slightly, but still stood up to me. "You're only saying that because you love me," I whispered, staring into her eyes.

"S-so what if I am?"

She looked afraid, but I could see the lust in her eyes. Silence hung in the air as we stared at each other desperately.

I leaned towards her and pulled her against me, kissing her gently. She kissed me as passionately and fiercely as she possibly could. I picked her up, her legs around my waist, and carried her back towards the bed. I sat down and our kiss deepened, though I kept myself very aware of the pressure I put on her.

I was enjoying myself until I felt her attempting to pry my vest out of place. I gasped and whispered, "No," against her lips.

"Please, just try," she begged. The kisses came to a halt and I stared at her.

"I can't risk losing control, Ahsoka."

"You won't. I trust you, Anakin."

I was surprised by how quickly she'd chosen to adopt my real name instead of my title, but I didn't complain. Personally, I liked the way she said my name.

I was very uncertain and I was going to respond, but I was interrupted by the beeping of my comlink. I glanced at it to see Obi-Wan's frequency. I sighed and lifted her into my arms, carrying her back to her own bed. I laid her down onto it and answered the com.

"Skywalker here."

"_Anakin, come quickly. It's an emergency._"

I switched the comlink off and looked at her. She was staring up at me expectantly and I frowned. I bent down, resting my hands on the mattress on either side of her body. I kissed her lips slowly, taking them passionately. "I'll be back soon, my love," I whispered.

I started to straighten up, but the tugged on my vest, kissing me again. "I love you," I whispered, smiling at her.

"I know."

With that said, I took my leave.

I blurred down the hallways until I entered the war room. As soon as I entered, my eyes locked with Vestara's. Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Windu were in the room standing around the circular holosystem.

There, I saw an image of Padme. Blood was dripping down her face and staining her robes. I slowly walked closer to Vestara, standing beside her.

"We're going to play the hologram again, Padawan. Would you like to step out?" Windu asked, watching her carefully.

She glanced up at me and we shared a very saddening look. She looked at him and shook her head. "I'll stay."

He nodded and restarted the projection. Dust flew up around Padme's form and I knew she was on Tatooine. She was near a bar as well and that was _never _a good sign for a vampire. "_Consider this a… _gift _from me._"

A drunk Twi'lek and Rodian came into view as Padme blew a kiss towards us. I felt sickened and I sneered. Out of the corner of my eyes, Vestara threw her hands to her ears. I quickly wrapped my arm around her and she buried her face into my chest.

The holorecorder was dropped to the sandy terrain. The only thing that appeared on the image was two sets of feet. The feet disappeared and a thud sounded as the men's faces and ripped open necks became visible.

I groaned and, once again, felt sickened.

The recording lifted and Padme came into view with blood around her lips, chin, and neck. "_I'll keep this up until I get what I want. I believe Vestara knows what I want. She always was a smart girl._"

The image faded away and I rubbed Vestara's back. She removed her hands from her ears and looked up at me sadly. "She wants me to join her," she whispered.

My anger flared. That was something I would _not _allow. "That won't happen," I growled.

She shivered a little, but kept her gaze on me. She knew I'd take care of her. I'd come this far with her and I wasn't about to allow her to slip through my fingers and fall into Padme's hands again.

"A plan, we have. Regretful, it is. Necessary, her death is. Lure her here and destroy her, you must, Padawan. Lost, many lives will be if we fail," Yoda whispered.

My teeth were on edge as I stared at the Masters around me. I couldn't allow Vestara to do this on her own. I didn't want her to do this _at all._ "With all due respect, Masters, I think it should be _me._"

How could they possibly allow Vestara to do this on her own? Even _I _couldn't handle Padme. How could they expect this child to take down our greatest enemy?

"She won't come to you willingly," Windu said.

As much as I hated to admit it, he was _right. _

The only person that could bring Padme to us was Vestara. I closed my eyes and breathed slowly for a few moments. "We'll talk about it," I whispered, leading Vestara from the room.

We stepped out into the hall and she stared up at me. "I can do this."

"No," I growled. "I don't think you can. Do you realize how risky this is? You're putting your life on the line for –"

"For many other lives," she interrupted. "You offered yourself in my place. You would do the same, Anakin. Don't try to stop me. You'll seem very hypocritical."

"I may not be as old as Padme is, but I _can _kill you, Vestara."

"Then why don't you?"

"Don't make me," I whispered.

"Protect your _Padawan_," she said with a smirk. "She needs you."

I gaped at her. "Do _not _use her against me. You're the only one that knows how I feel about her because of your abilities, but that doesn't mean she's my weakness. I can be apart from her. She doesn't _always _need me."

"You know as well as I do that anything mortal is fragile. I can see the way you look at her. I can see the crazed worry in your eyes right this moment. You love her and you need her. If you're away from her, then you feel empty inside. Anakin, I have felt like this before. I know you're more than capable of keeping her alive…"

"You loved a mortal?" I whispered.

"Yes. It was shortly after my transformation. I was wandering around and I found a boy. He was kind, like you, and he was handsome. I stayed with him for a few days, not understanding that I was going to lose control of my thirst and slaughter him."

I stared at her sadly. "You killed him because of your thirst."

"Yes. It haunts me to this day, but now I'm aware of what I can and can't do. You're much older and much more experienced than me. You won't kill her, Anakin."

"I appreciate the optimism, Vestara."

"Just be careful, Anakin."

"And the same goes for you, little one."

"Don't start that. Master Kenobi already has," she groaned.

I chuckled and smiled.

"Go back to her. She misses you," she teased.

I rolled my eyes and blurred away from her. I made it back into the dorm and scared the living daylights out of Ahsoka. She screamed and fell to the floor.

I knelt in front of her and held her against me. "I'm sorry," I whispered quickly. "It's just me."

She held onto me tightly, breathing rapidly. I put my hand on her chest and felt her heartbeat. I kissed her forehead and she curled up against me. "It's okay. I overreacted."

"You had every right to be scared. You aren't used to my speed just yet."

"And I probably never will be," she laughed.

She stared at me as I grew silent. Honestly, I just liked the sound of her breathing and I loved listening to her heartbeat. "Are you okay?"

"Shh," I unintentionally said.

I closed my eyes and listened closer, finding the rhythm. I opened my eyes and stared into hers. She looked very confused and I kissed her lips. She sat up a bit and put pressure on my lips. Her tongue slid across them and my body jumped in excitement.

I slammed her onto the floor and began to kiss her as if she weren't the fragile girl she truly was. She moaned against my lips and rubbed my shoulders.

After a few moments, my fangs began to come in. I gasped as she began to whimper a little. "A-Anakin," she whispered.

I pulled away from her quickly, blurring away as fast as I could. I closed my eyes and kept my hands behind my back. I couldn't allow myself to do that again.

When I opened my eyes, I found her staring at me. She had her hand over her mouth and I grew concerned. "How badly did I hurt you?"

I blurred closer to her and knelt once again, gently touching her hand. "Not bad," she muttered. "Your eyes…"

I swallowed and moved her hand. "Why are they _red?_"

"Thirsty," I whispered. "Ahsoka, this _is _bad."

"It's just a little cut."

"From _my fang._"

"It'll heal."

"That's not the point," I growled.

"Please, don't get mad…"

I sighed and rubbed my thumb over her lip, wiping the blood away. "I need to be careful from now on."

I could see bruises forming on the right side of her mouth as well as on her shoulders. She put her hands on either side of my face and smiled at me. "This is part of you. We'll have to make this work so we can work. Do what you want and I'll tell you if it hurts me too much, okay?"

"I'm not sure I like this idea very much," I sighed.

There were a few ideas that I didn't like today…


	17. Facing the Threat

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

I stared up at my Master. His fangs were bared and I felt somewhat afraid. I watched him breathe slowly as he attempted to regain his control.

I kept my hands on his shoulders. "It's okay," I whispered.

He opened his blood red eyes and stared at me like I'd gone crazy. I ran my hands over his shoulders and down his arms, smiling at him reassuringly.

As much fear as I felt in this moment, I did trust him. He'd never done anything to intentionally hurt me and I didn't think he ever would. He lowered himself to press his lips against mine.

Our eyes closed and our bodies moved slowly. My hands slid up his body and tangled themselves in his hair. I felt his tension and worry as he kissed me.

After a few minutes, I couldn't take it anymore. I pushed him a little bit and he flew up off of the bed. "Anakin…"

"I'm sorry if I'm pushing you –"

"It's not that. You need to calm down. I can feel everything you're feeling and I don't like it. How am I supposed to enjoy myself and enjoy you if you're going to feel this way?"

He bit his lip and came back to me to sit beside me. I stayed on my back and rested my hand on his leg. "I just care about you too much. If I make one wrong move, I could end your life. Do you think I want that?"

"No. Of course not. I…" I trailed off, not wanting to make him feel any worse. I suppose, if it made him feel better, I could give him up and allow him to take my memories once again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Why did you give me my memories back?"

It sounded like a childish question to ask someone as old as him – however old he was. He half smiled and rested his hand on my stomach. "It hurt me to keep secrets from you. That's not how I want to live our relationship." He paused. "Friendship."

I rolled my eyes. "And we're not in a relationship?"

He stared at me in silence. I felt his uncertainty and confusion. He didn't even know if we were _together._ "Anakin –"

"_Are_ we in a relationship?" he whispered.

I sat up and his hand slid up to my throat, resting beside it gently. He rubbed over the tiny bite marks in my skin with his thumb. "I'm surprised no one has seen these yet."

He seemed to have travelled into a different time for a few moments. I watched his eyes darken before focusing on my eyes again. "I want to be in a relationship with you, Anakin."

"I haven't been with anyone in over a century. As you can imagine, the time has made me reluctant to get… _involved _with anyone. You're the first person I've considered falling in love with since…"

"Since Padme," I whispered.

He growled and his eyes had a fierce anger within them. "Do _not _say her name," he said through his teeth.

"I-I'm s-sorry," I stuttered, practically tripping over my words.

I stared at him, slightly afraid. He closed his eyes and leaned towards me, surprising me with a kiss. I closed my eyes and embraced the kiss, returning it.

Before I realized it, I was on my back again and he was hovering above me. His legs straddled my waist and his hands rested above my shoulders, rubbing my lekku.

It scared me every time he got really passionate. I was kind of afraid of him hurting me even though I wanted to enjoy him as much as I possibly could.

I did all that I could to please him. Seeing as though he was a vampire, I didn't know _what _I would have to do to reach his pleasure's peak.

I brushed his hair back and tangled my fingers up in it.

After a few more kisses, he gasped and his fangs slowly began to crawl through. I opened my eyes to see him looking away from me. "I can't do this," he whispered, pushing himself away from me.

I could feel bruises forming on my stomach and legs from the pressure of his body, but that didn't matter to me right now. "I want you to be comfortable with me, Anakin."

"It's not _you._ It's your _blood._"

I held my wrist up to his face. "Take it. Get used to it."

"I won't do that again." Once again, his hand lifted to my neck and rubbed the bite marks. "These hurt you enough."

"I'm fine. Please, just do it."

I tried to sound sincere despite the fear I truly felt. My stomach lurched forward every time I thought about him drinking and enjoying my blood. "You're afraid."

"No."

"I can see it in your eyes and I can hear your heart beating quickly. Your pulse is rushing and your skin is paling."

I sat up and pressed my lips against his. I realized that I'd distracted him. His hand wound behind my neck and held it carefully, almost as if I were some delicate piece of glass.

I rested my hand on his chest and tugged on his vest a little. He grunted into the kiss and I felt the tip of his fang slide over my lower lip.

I tilted my head up and allowed his fang to sink into my lip a bit. Instantly, his tongue began to lick the small amount of blood dripping down my lip.

He began to pant heavily and I opened my eyes once our mouths were separated. "D-don't… don't do that… please…"

He sounded so desperate and so hurt. His eyes held so much sadness and regret in them. "Take it," I whispered.

He stared at me in horror, shaking his head slowly. I leaned closer to him and brushed the side of my face up against his mouth. "A-Ahsoka, p-please…"

I closed my eyes as his lips pressed against my neck. He slowly began to kiss my neck before sliding his fangs over the skin. I heard him take a deep breath before I felt his fangs sink into my skin.

It hurt so much, but it felt so _good._ His warm lips were still pressed against my skin as my blood slowly crept towards the area he was biting. I moaned and lifted my hand to his shoulder, squeezing it.

His left arm was wrapped around my body and his right hand rested on my rear lek. It felt like he was holding me in place.

I opened my eyes and stared over his form at the wall behind him. I realized that my vision was becoming blurry and darker. As my blood moved through my body, I felt dizzy. "Ana… Anakin…" I whispered. He was moaning as he continued to drink my blood.

My eyelids were beginning to droop slightly and my head fell back a bit. I groaned as he continued. I began to pant once my vision had completely darkened. I felt myself drifting off and he finally stopped.

The sharpness in my neck faded away and my blood began to work towards its normal flow once again. "Ahsoka!" he practically screamed, his voice sounding broken. "Wake up!"

I was laid back onto the bed and I felt his hand on my chest. "Ahsoka, please…"

I opened my eyes as best I could because of my lack of strength. He took my right hand in his and I felt his despair. "I… I'm okay," I whispered.

After several minutes of him stroking my lekku, my vision returned. I stared up at his sad face and sighed. "Anakin –"

"Why didn't you tell me that I was hurting you?"

"Because –"

"Ahsoka, you have no idea how much you mean to me. If I lose you, I lose everything."

"But –"

"I –"

"Can you stop interrupting me?" I asked, glaring at him.

He looked shocked by the fact that I'd done that, but he motioned for me to speak. "Listen, Anakin. I care about you and I want _us _to work out. I trust you and, by giving you my blood, I display my trust in you. I didn't want to ruin the moment by telling you I was going to black out. That's not fair."

I was surprised when he kissed me quickly. "I love you. I don't want to hurt you. You _need _to tell me when to be careful. Your body has limitations that I need to abide by."

"I love you, too."

"I –" He paused and looked at the door. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

He jumped off of the bed. "Stay put, my love," he whispered quickly before taking off.

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

I kept waiting and waiting for Padme to come. Was Anakin right? _Could _I handle this? I knew it was too late to turn around and change my decision, but that didn't help my nerves at all. At this moment, I felt sick to my stomach and _very _uneasy.

I felt a dark presence nearby and I decided to walk towards it, knowing that I would probably end up regretting it later.

I raised an eyebrow before I entered the war room. I was _sort of _surprised by the fact that my _mother _was sitting in a chair across the room. I was also surprised by the fact that she didn't even bring up the fact that it was so easy for her to enter the temple. Her ego was _way _past its limitations for that, I suppose.

"I know you'll make the right choice," she whispered, slowly moving into a standing position. She slid across the floor and rested a hand on my shoulder. I growled at her, baring my fangs. "_Oh._ I see. You're not coming with me without a fight."

I shrugged her arm off of me and glared directly at her. "I'm not coming with you. _Period._"

She raised her eyebrows, clearly taken aback by my defiance. Never, never in all the time that I had spent with her, had I acted this way. She deserved – _more _than deserved – my hatred.

"Anakin can't even take me on," she taunted. I realized, by the smirk on her face, that she was holding something back. "_Little one,_" she whispered, chuckling to herself.

I ignited my lightsaber and stood in a defensive position, one that I'd seen Anakin use. "Well, _unfortunately for you,_ I'm _not _Anakin." I lunged at her and she instantly pulled out her own saber. Our blades clashed against each other and we began our duel.

Several swings and parries later, her lightsaber crashed down upon mine. I blocked it and knelt down on my right knee due to the pressure she put on me. We were at a standoff.

"You get dirty looks from the Masters, don't you?" she whispered, practically spitting in my face. "They don't like you _or _want you. You're just like Anakin! You're an _outcast! _When will you realize that they don't want _either _of you?"

"Shut up!" I screamed, sending a blast of Force energy at her. She attempted to counteract it with her own, but ended up sending a shockwave through the room. We were both knocked backwards by the blast and our lightsabers flew from our hands.

She lunged at me before I could react and kicked my midsection. I flew into a holoscreen, shattering it, and collapsed onto the durasteel floor.

I covered my face with my arms as glass fell from above. Padme was above me in moments, choking me with her bare hands. I grabbed at her arm with my right hand and searched for a piece of glass with the other.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a shard gleaming. I mustered up enough strength to throw her away from me for a few moments. Her back was slammed into the wall and I realized that this was it. _My only chance._

I reached out and pulled the shard into my hand and watched her leap towards me. I shoved the glass shard into her heart as the door of the war room flew out of its original position. She gasped and looked behind her to see the new presence.

_Anakin._

She smiled at him as blood dripped out of her mouth. I watched her collapse to the floor in a heap.

The smile was still on her dead lips as she laid there, _dead._ Her fangs were still bared and taunted me.

Obi-Wan rushed in moments later, standing beside Anakin. Both men looked shocked beyond words. They were so shocked that words couldn't escape their parted lips.

Anakin managed to break his attention away from me long enough to cast a glance in Obi-Wan's direction. "Please, go check on Ahsoka," he whispered.

Obi-Wan nodded and quickly left. I could feel his mixed feelings on the situation. Anakin, however, held very compelling emotions. He was in between angry and overjoyed.

He stared in cold silence at her body for quite some time before stepping closer to me. He sighed and stared at me. "Well, would you like to say something?" he asked.

Even though this woman had ruined his life and tormented him beyond his worst nightmares, he _still _wanted to respect her. I loathed him for that. How could he still care about someone who hurt him so much?

I knelt down beside the corpse and pulled my locket out of the folds of my vest. I reached forward and ripped her left fang out of her mouth and placed it inside the locket.

I looked up at Anakin and saw his confusion as well as his sadness that he was attempting to conceal. "Yes, I would. _Good-bye._"

With that said, I blurred out of the room.


	18. The Grave

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

Two whole weeks had passed and things had been… _strange._

I'd just found out today that Vestara had killed Padme. I could tell that he was pained by it, but we never brought it up in conversation after that. The last mention of the matter was when he said the funeral would be held today and that he and Vestara had been making the arrangements.

I rolled over to look at him. He was finally sleeping somewhat peacefully. His body rose and fell slowly and I listened to his even breathing.

"How is anyone supposed to sleep with your eyes on them?"

I jumped and pushed myself up as he rolled over to face me. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. I've told you that each and every time you've asked today."

Roughly half a second later, he was sitting beside me on my bed. I jumped again and sighed, clutching my chest. "Can you, _please_, refrain from zooming over here?"

"So you're asking me to walk over to you next time?"

"I-if you don't mind…"

"No. Of course not. Just don't expect the same thing if you're ever in danger, Ahsoka."

I rolled my eyes. "That, I _did _expect. You're way too overprotective."

He growled and I jumped. "If you lived the life I lived, then you would understand _why _I'm like this. You didn't spend a century looking over your shoulder for someone with a stake or for some crazed woman."

I rubbed his arm once his eyes glazed over. "Hey."

He blinked and looked at me. "What?"

"You zoned out," I whispered. "What were you thinking about?"

He slowly leaned towards me and took my lips with his. "Nothing but you."

His eyes closed and he gently kissed me. His left hand rested on my neck and his right was on my leg. I clutched his sides as I kissed him. I was as wild as I wanted to be because I knew I couldn't physically hurt him.

He and I moaned at the same time. I leaned backwards and he came back with me eagerly.

He tore his lips away from mine and began to kiss my right lek. I arched my back and held onto him tightly. He was panting between kisses. I felt his fangs slide across my skin and I moaned.

As he was about to sink them into my neck, his head snapped up and he looked at the door. "What's wrong?" I whispered breathlessly.

"Vestara," he whispered.

I focused on other things aside from Anakin and me and I felt Vestara's anger and hatred shooting past its barriers.

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me off of the bed with him. He pulled my legs up and carried me bridal style. "Anakin, she doesn't –"

"She knows and she doesn't care. She won't tell anyone if she wants to live."

"Would you kill her if she told anyone?"

"Yes."

I gulped and he squeezed my leg. "Don't worry. I'm not as dangerous as you think I am. I only make threats when it's absolutely necessary."

I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes as he gently rocked me with each step. I couldn't hear his heart beating very loudly, but there was a small thumping sound every now and then. It had no pattern as a normal heart did.

We exited the dorm and I opened my eyes to see Vestara leaning against the wall, an angry look on her face as her arms rested across her chest. "I hate you," she whispered to him.

I looked up at him and he seemed to have steeled his features. "Let's just get this over with, all right?"

He set me down carefully and put his hand on my lower back. He blurred back into the dorm and pulled out two cloaks. He draped mine around me and lifted the hood. I smiled as he moved the hood around to perfectly fit my face.

"What are you smiling about?" he whispered, a smile forming on his own lips.

"Your quirks are cute," I whispered.

"Oh?"

"You like things to be a certain way."

"Like this?" He leaned towards me and pressed his lips against mine. I drifted off into heaven and actually felt my right leg lift into the air as my fingers dug into his sides a little.

"Normally, I might think this is cute, but it's disgusting right now," Vestara sneered.

Anakin pulled away and growled at her. "The rest of us don't have to be depressing just because you are."

He put his own cloak on as his eyes glared at her. "Depressing? _You _are the one taking this the hardest."

I watched his teeth grind against each other. "Anakin –"

"Ahsoka, I'll be with you in one moment. Please, go to the shuttle." I could tell that his control was slowly slipping. He didn't even look at me.

"No," I stated loudly.

He glanced at me in surprise. "What?"

"_No,_" I repeated.

I crossed my arms over my chest and stared up at him in defiance. I, naturally, felt fear rising in my body, but I needed to stand up to him or he'd think he controlled my life and feelings.

He sighed and grabbed my hand. "All right."

He led me away from the dorm and towards the landing bay. Vestara trailed behind us as we walked slowly. I looked up at him every now and then to see his lips moving. I could tell that he and Vestara were having a conversation and I wanted to interrupt, but that would only anger him more.

**Four hours later.**

Anakin and Vestara silently fought the entire way to Naboo. We were in the furthest graveyard from Theed. It was practically abandoned, but he had chosen this as her resting area. A few others, such as Obi-Wan and Master Yoda, had joined us, but this was mainly a secluded ceremony.

Obi-Wan and Yoda were the only ones that had a chance of taking Anakin and or Vestara down if things got out of hand. Everyone knew how tense the two of them had become around each other.

I stood beside him and slid my hand towards his. Before I could grasp his hand, he took mine. Our fingers intertwined and were concealed by the sleeves that hung over them.

I looked up at him and he smiled weakly at me.

Anakin's free hand lowered Padme's casket into the ground that had been dug out days ago. I sensed his pain and resentment as he finally lowered her to the bottom.

I squeezed his hand and leaned closer to him. His thumb rubbed over my hand slowly and he lowered his head, closing his eyes.

"Are you okay?" I whispered, knowing only he could hear me. Well, aside from Vestara.

He nodded slowly and opened his eyes a bit to look at me. "I'm okay. Thank you for asking," he whispered.

I smiled. The rain began to fall over us and the others began to leave. Anakin and I stood in front of her new grave. He waved his hand and the dirt fell into the hole.

"Anakin," I whispered.

His lips were trembling and I was growing concerned. "L-let's go," he whispered.

I waited for him to move first, but he didn't. He collapsed onto his knees, sinking them into the mud beneath him.

I fell with him and held him. He cried against my body and I held his head against me. "It's okay," I whispered. "It's okay…"

It was then that I realized: _even the strongest can break._

His shoulders shook with each quiet sob and I held him as tightly as I possibly could to give him comfort.

**POV: Vestara Amidala **

**Later.**

I hated the funeral. I just flat out _hated _it. I wanted to burn her body like she deserved because she was pure evil, but Anakin _refused. He _was the one that took this the hardest and I resented him for that.

How could he love that monster after all she'd done to him? She hadn't hurt me as much as she'd hurt him in his life and I let go of her without a second thought.

It was almost midnight and I wanted to spar with Anakin to release some of my anger. I figured, sparring with him wouldn't hurt anyone, so I chose him and he came willingly.

The bad thing was, I kept losing. My mind was elsewhere and I couldn't focus on his moves. I could focus on how quickly he blurred or how quickly he clutched my throat and slammed me over his shoulder.

My thoughts travelled back to the night I'd killed Padme. My satisfaction was overwhelming me, but I hated to see Anakin so down. I'd heard him cry back on Naboo and it broke my heart. He was lucky to have Ahsoka with him though. The Masters knew nothing about their relationship and I would never compromise their love. I couldn't tell anyone no matter how mad I was at him.

After living for over three hundred years, he _needed _some happiness to brighten up his depressing days.

"Come on," he sighed, growing aggravated with me. "You _need _to remain focused." He was now looming over me, towering above me like a threat. This was the _third _time that he had knocked me down to the ground.

He extended his hand towards me and I smacked it away, pushing myself up. "Look," he growled. "What happened _happened. _Don't dwell on the –"

"I wasn't even thinking about that," I whispered, interrupting him. I glared at him as he gave me a doubtful look and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh, _really? _Then what were you thinking about, if I may ask?"

My eyes travelled around the empty training room and I shrugged. He sighed and I refocused on him. "I _know _how you feel, Vestara."

My anger flared and I didn't even _try _to control it. At this point in time, I really didn't care to. "I wish you would stop saying that!" I screamed at him. "Everyone's been saying that to me and it's driving me _insane! _You're the only one who has some understanding, but you _miss _her! How _could _you miss her? She was a _monster!_"

I could tell – by the look in his eyes – that he wanted me to stop, but I needed to get this out. "All she ever wanted to do was watch you be destroyed and you say you _still _have some feelings for her. How can you love her and Ahsoka at the same time anyway? How unfair is that to her? You _definitely _don't understand. Obi-Wan doesn't understand. Ahsoka will _never _understand. You _don't _understand me at all, so stop saying you do!"

His blue eyes were widened and I saw tears forming in them slightly. He was shocked and hurt. I was hurt, too, and he didn't seem to mind bringing up the subject whenever he was near me.

I watched as he opened his mouth to say something. A small sound escaped his lips before I watched him go limp and collapse onto the mat, falling unconscious.

I attempted to move closer to him and ask what happened, but a sudden and sharp pain came over me. I fell to the ground shortly afterwards.

I was back on Naboo in the graveyard where we'd buried Padme. I began to pant as her grave zoomed into view quickly.

"Anakin!" I screamed.

The only response I received was a rumbling coming from the pit we'd dumped Padme's corpse into. It began to shake and the dirt began to crumble into the grave.

The dirt disappeared and, to my absolute horror, Padme Amidala stepped out of her grave. She saw me and gave me the same cruel smile she'd always had.

"_Oh, you didn't think I would go _that _easy on you, did you _child?" She began to move closer to me and I gulped, paralyzed by my fear. She blurred towards me and the last thing I saw was her claw scratch at my face.

Afterwards, I was back in the temple. I gasped for breath and immediately looked at Anakin. He was kneeling beside me, holding my arm. He looked sickened and scared out of his mind.

My throat felt tightened and I saw the realization dawn on his face as I whispered, "Padme's back."**  
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	19. Making Amends

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Several days had gone by and I hadn't seen Vestara at all during that period of time. Every time I walked past her dorm, she would lock the door on me. I knew I could enter without a problem, but I didn't really want to invade on her privacy. Each time I asked her to come out to hunt with me, she would scream, "Go away!" followed by several profanities that I'd never repeat.

Out of habit, I found myself wandering in the direction of her dorm. Ahsoka and I talked about her a little last night and she believed that I needed to keep trying to talk to her even though I was about ready to give up altogether.

As I walked by today, I heard her crying inside. I paused outside of the door and listened silently, frowning. I sighed. "All right, Vestara, it's time to end this game. Open the door and come out."

My voice was strained and I was practically begging her to come out. She scoffed behind the door and I cocked an eyebrow. If that's how she was going to play this game… "Fine," I said a bit too loudly. "I'm coming in whether you like it or not."

"You wouldn't dare," she threatened, sniffling.

I smirked and blurred into the door, knocking it out of its hinges in the doorway. She jumped off of her bed and glared harshly at me. She didn't think I would.

She blurred over to me and got right up in my face. "You owe me a new door."

I snarled and whispered, "I owe you nothing, _child._"

I honestly hadn't meant to call her a child. I was getting sick and tired of the love-hate relationship going on between us. She was like a little sister to me and I wanted to take care of her, but she was being stubborn and wouldn't allow me that privilege.

She turned around and began to move about the room, throwing the small amount of belongings she had into a beaten up and tattered pack. "What are you doing?" I whispered, watching her every move.

"Why do you care?" she snapped, looking over her shoulder.

And that had been the final straw. I lost the tiny bit of control I'd been saving up. I blurred over to her and grabbed her by her shirt collar, holding her in the air slightly. "Go ahead. I'm getting used to being beaten," she whispered, her eyes never leaving mine as she gripped my wrist.

I released her and felt sickened by what was going on between us. I stared at the wall as she threw the rest of her possessions into the pack and blurred out of the room. She blurred down the hallway and entered one of the empty dorms as a temporary room. The door locked shortly afterwards.

I closed my eyes and sighed, falling back into sitting position on her bed. I held my head in my hands and shook my head.

I couldn't really hold her responsible because she'd lost her self control with everyone the day Padme had returned. I just didn't like being the focal point of her anger all the time. Sure, she couldn't kill me, but she could hurt me emotionally.

I stood and walked out of the dorm slowly. I walked towards my own and entered silently to see Ahsoka still asleep.

I heard Vestara crying again and I knew that she would probably never forgive herself for the way she's been acting. That is the one thing that I hate about being a vampire. We take things harder than mortals and take forever – if not longer – to let go of them.

I knelt beside Ahsoka's bed and stroked her rear lek. She shivered and turned over to face me. "Good morning," she whispered, smiling sleepily at me.

"It's actually afternoon, love."

She sat up quickly and stared at me. "_Afternoon? _Why did you let me sleep in? You said we were going to train this morning?"

"I decided against it. I thought you could use more sleep."

She rubbed her eyes and threw her legs over to the side, kicking me. "I'm sorry!" she gasped.

I smirked. "You didn't hurt me, beautiful."

She rolled her eyes and stood up, wobbling a little. She pushed her nightgown down her legs a bit and I cocked an eyebrow. "That's too bad," I teased.

I stood and swept her up into my arms, kissing her cheek. She giggled and pressed her face into the crook of my neck. "So what shall we do now?" I asked.

"Why do you talk like that?"

"Like _what?_"

She lifted her head. "You talk so _intricately. _It's like… you know, I _still _don't know how old you are. Maybe it would make more sense if you told me.

I cleared my throat. "That's… not something I really want to talk about."

"Age is just a number."

"I'm more than ten times your age. Put that into perspective and tell me how you feel."

She stared at me with wide eyes before shaking her head. She shrugged and pushed herself out of my arms. I stood there like an idiot and stared at her. "I knew it would bother you," I whispered.

She rubbed her left lek nervously and I rested my hands on her shoulders. I kissed the left side of her face softly and closed my eyes.

Her hand lifted to touch my face and I rubbed my skin against hers. Her fingers traced my jaw line and I lowered my hands to wind my arms around her waist. "It doesn't bother me," she whispered, leaning against me.

Her right hand held onto both of mine, keeping them in place. I gently nibbled on her neck and listened to her moan. "You need to tell me if it does."

"I would if it did."

She began to rock us from side to side slowly. "I love you, Ahsoka," I whispered.

"I love you," she replied.

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

I cried harder than I'd ever cried into my pillowcase. I hated myself for hurting the first people to ever show me an iota of kindness. All Anakin's done since we returned to the temple was take care of me. I helped him escape and he gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. Now, I was throwing it all in his face and practically telling him to take a hike.

I sat up and sighed. I stared around the room and listened to Anakin whisper loving things to Ahsoka. He liked her smile, her eyes, the markings on her face… It was all pretty sweet, but not to me in this mood. Still, I was glad that he and Ahsoka had each other.

I stood and crossed the room, entering the refresher. I wiped my eyes in front of the mirror and found myself drifting off into thought. I was lost, travelling back to all of the hurtful things I'd said to everyone in the last few days. Each and every word out of my mouth had been unnecessary and I'd actually made Ahsoka cry…

A sudden hissing sound interrupted my thoughts and my eyes diverted their attention to the ceiling. I could hear the hissing coming from the air duct in the vent above me and gas was beginning to leak out of it.

I began to cough uncontrollably and I blurred towards the door, finding it locked and indestructible. In essence, I was locked up the way I would have been if I were human. I couldn't break the door down.

I coughed so much more as the gas began to fill the room and plague my lungs.

Without any warning, a hand covered my mouth. I attempted to scream as my lightsaber was torn from my belt and thrown into the wall. Another hand gripped my neck and I was lifted into the air.

I gripped the hands with my own and attempted to see through the gassy mist. I struggled and my captor's grip tightened around the limbs they were holding. "Now, now," a melodic voice whispered. "If I've taught you anything, you would know that struggling is futile. It will only make things worse, my dear."

The voice was familiar and feminine.

_Padme._

"Listen to me carefully, child. Soon enough, you'll be assigned a mission to Naboo. Upon your arrival, you will immediately go to Platform Eight."

I struggled more and attempted to break free of her grip. My anger was flaring as I found my attempts unsuccessful. "Fine," she sighed. "Then Anakin and his childish pet will die. Your room and their room have been sprayed with the gas. The only difference is that theirs was slightly… _different._ Tiny droids have entered their bloodstreams. They'll latch onto the fibers within them and, once I press a button, they'll begin to suffer an excruciatingly, slow death."

My breath caught and I stared into her eyes. "If I hold the button down for a minute, they _die. _Is that what you want?"

I shook my head quickly and silently began to beg her to leave them alone. Ahsoka didn't deserve that. She hadn't even had the chance to live her life or fall further in love with Anakin. _Anakin _didn't deserve an end like that.

"Smart girl," she whispered, smiling at me. Her grip loosened and she disappeared from the room.

I sat on the floor, panting and crying at the same time. I held my throat and, suddenly, the door to the refresher slid open. Anakin's blurry form appeared in front of me. "Vestara, are you all right?"

I jumped up and leapt into his arms, hugging him tightly. He seemed surprised, but I wanted him to hold me. "I'm so – I'm so sorry about everything I said to you, Anakin…"

He circled his arms around me and returned the embrace, resting his chin on the top of my head. "It's okay. You were upset and I understand."

I nodded slowly against his chest. I didn't want to spend the rest of my days in the temple fighting with him…

He rubbed my back soothingly and repositioned his face so his cheek was resting on my head. "Are you okay now?" he whispered.

I nodded silently and looked up at me. "Thank you."

"I'll always be there for you when you need me, Vestara. Nothing you ever face will be faced alone. Of the many people in this universe, _I _am the one you can count on to come to your rescue."

I smiled and began to hug him again. I knew he'd always take care of me. He had been cursed with eternal life, but he had also been granted eternal kindness.

"Anakin?"

"Yes?" he whispered.

"Do you forgive me?"

He chuckled and kissed my hair. "Of course I do. I've always been terrible at holding grudges."

"What about the grudge you're holding against Padme?"

"_That _is completely different, Vestara. The things she did to me were cruel and harmful. What you've done only hurt me emotionally. I can't resent you for verbally abusing me because it's not like you wanted to inflict physical pain on me."

I tightened my grip on his vest and closed my eyes. "I didn't want to hurt anyone."

"You've got us all worried, Vestara. You haven't been yourself in days. _I _have been worried about you. I know it may not seem like I'm worried, but I'm trying to keep everyone else happy. My goal in life is to keep those who are closest to me happy. If you don't allow yourself to open up, how am I going to help you and come closer to you?"

I laughed lightly. "I'm sorry for worrying you, but thank you, Anakin."

"You're very welcome, Vestara. Now, will you go back to your own dorm instead of sleeping in this empty one?"

I pulled back and smiled up at him. "Of course."

He grabbed my hand and led me out of the refresher, out of the empty dorm, and down the hallway. We were passing his and Ahsoka's dorm and I tugged on his hand. He gave me a curious look and I smiled weakly. "There's something I need to do first."


	20. Naboo

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

I dug my nails into the arm of the chair in the cockpit. I was relieved that Anakin had allowed me the time to apologize to Ahsoka in person. I was glad that she'd forgiven me, though I wish she wouldn't have been so easy going. That was a flaw that she and Anakin both had when it came to those who were closest to them.

In the end, maybe I didn't mind too much. I had made amends for all that I'd done up until now. Now, I was going to leave them for Padme. _Padme._ That wretched witch. My stomach had been churning during the meeting with the Council earlier. Once Master Kenobi came to the three of us and called us into the chambers, I knew that Padme hadn't been lying.

Anakin asked me what was wrong and I'd lied to him, telling him that nothing was wrong. I told him that things were perfectly fine. I just didn't want to hurt him or hurt Ahsoka. Master Kenobi trusted Anakin's judgment on me and he was willing to listen to me as I apologized to him as well. For that, I had been grateful. Without Anakin's help, Master Kenobi may not have been so eager to accept my apology.

Though none of them realized this, I had dreaded the flight to Naboo. I knew Padme would be waiting for me and it would be hard to leave the people I'd called family for the duration of my stay.

I could feel us entering Naboo's atmosphere. I took this moment to glance around the ship. This was the last chance I had to see the people that had brought me into this life and had kept me safe.

Anakin, the man I could respect and call my big brother, had taken the most care of me since my arrival. I watched him stare at Ahsoka silently, sharing looks with her as Obi-Wan flew us towards our designated landing spot.

Ahsoka had become my best friend, aside from Anakin. I was able to talk to her a little more comfortably without having to resist her blood too terribly. Her heart was pure and she would keep Anakin together.

Obi-Wan, my Master, had been kind enough to offer me the status as his apprentice.

All in all, these people had made a change in my life. They made me see where the light truly was and where the darkness loomed. Anakin taught me that people were not what they seemed.

Anakin's eyes met mine and I glanced away. "Are you all right?" he whispered. He whispered beneath the hearing level of the average humanoid, but I'd noticed Ahsoka picking up on our conversations.

She couldn't hear anything, but she knew when Anakin and I were having a private conversation that we didn't want to share with anyone but ourselves.

I nodded slowly and met his eyes once again, forcing a smile. "I'm fine," I whispered back to him.

He gave me a very long look before tearing his eyes away from me to lock with Ahsoka's. Obi-Wan wasn't paying attention to either of them, so they were able to give each other looks and hold hands during the flight.

I smiled at how happy he made her and how happy she made him. I could tell that he hadn't felt this kind of happiness in quite some time.

When we landed, Anakin stood and began to help Ahsoka prepare the packs and such. Obi-Wan was turning everything off in the cockpit and safely landed on the platform beneath us.

He lowered the landing ramp and I looked at the three of them for the last time. I walked into the quarters that I'd been assigned and scribbled quickly over a note. I entitled it to Anakin, knowing that _he _would be the one I wanted to read it later.

With a heavy heart, I set the note down on a seat. He would find it when the time was right.

I slowly walked back towards the cockpit and down the ramp before blurring away from the vessel upon touching the stone on the terrain.

I hated to leave them without so much as a good-bye. It hurt too much to think about doing and I didn't want them to follow me.

I blurred for nearly ten miles before stopping. I found a very beaten and worn out landing platform that looked as if it hadn't been used in quite some time. The only vessel in the area was a Sith cruiser and Padme was leaning up against it, arms crossed with a smug smile on her face.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I exited the ship with my pack and glanced around for Vestara. A puzzled expression crossed my face as I realized that she wasn't outside of the ship. I headed back inside really quick to see Ahsoka and Obi-Wan look at me in question.

"Obi-Wan, have you seen Vestara?"

He dropped his pack and looked at me in concern. "I thought she went outside with _you._"

Fear immediately began to build up in my chest, nearly suffocating me. I dropped my pack and whispered, "Vestara!"

I blurred into the room she'd been staying in for a short time before we'd come closer to Naboo. I glanced around frantically for something, _anything _that might indicate where she'd gone or what had happened to her.

My eyes locked onto a piece of paper on her bed that was neatly folded. Slowly and cautiously, I stepped towards it. I hesitated to open it, feeling my heart catch in my throat. I unfolded it and read her elegant, yet rushed, handwriting. "_I'm with Padme. If you know what's good for you, please, don't come for me!_"

My eyes were locked on that monster's name and my entire body began to shake as my anger built up. I slammed my fist into the durasteel wall, sending fragments of its makeup flying about the room.

Obi-Wan rushed into the room, stopping in the threshold. "Anakin," he gasped, looking at the durasteel debris. "What happened?"

His eyes met the hole I'd just punched in the wall and his jaw dropped. He'd never seen me the furious in his life.

With a shaking hand, I held the note out for him to read. He quickly scanned over it before meeting my angry expression with his own concerned one. "What are we going to do?"

I quickly searched for Vestara's presence in the Force. Ahsoka came into view behind Obi-Wan and I stared at her as I pulled my hood up over my head, concealing my face. "_We _are not going to do anything. _I _am going to get her," I growled.

Ahsoka tried to push past Obi-Wan to stop me, but I blurred between them both without harming either of them.

I felt her presence and caught her scent. Both became clearer as I grew closer to her. After running for ten miles, I found her and Padme near a very old platform.

I remembered coming here over two centuries ago. _That _is how _old _it truly was.

I growled as Padme's widened eyes roamed over my form. "You told _him!_" she screamed at Vestara.

The younger girl whirled around and faced me, a look of horror spread across her features. "No! I didn't!" she screamed. She began to beg words that I couldn't comprehend very well because of how jumbled they were.

Padme scoffed and held out her wrist. Vestara's stammering ceased and I watched curiously as she gasped. "_Liar!_" Padme screeched. She tapped the button and I crumpled into the dirt.

A surge of unbearable pain coursed through my body. I screamed in agony and held myself as I attempted to stop the pain.

I heard Vestara blur towards me and I felt her place both hands on my chest. I opened my eyes long enough to see her glare at Padme with tears in her eyes. "Please," she begged. "Please, _stop it!_" Her screams were futile as Padme chuckled.

To my surprise, the pain _ceased._ I gasped and panted. Vestara lifted her hands to my hair and gently stroked it. Moments later, she was dragged away from me.

I opened my eyes despite the burning feeling in my body and watched Padme drag Vestara away by her hair. I clutched my chest tightly and groaned. I needed to save Vestara.

"Next time, I may not stop. _Understand?_" Padme growled through her teeth. Vestara nodded quickly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she did so. I could see how much pain she was going through just by leaving me on the ground like this.

I couldn't find enough strength to think properly, let alone _move._ "Good. Now, let's _go._"

Again, Vestara nodded. She released her and I watched, painfully, as she walked behind the monster willingly. "Ves – Vestara," I gasped through my teeth.

She looked over her shoulder and gave me a sorrowful look. She sighed in regret before looking ahead and walking away from me.

She boarded the ship and, shortly after, left the atmosphere with it. I pain returned and I crossed my arms in front of me with a lot of effort. I slammed my head down onto them and everything after that became a darkened blur.

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

After half an hour, I got off of my bed and ran into Master Kenobi. "Master, he's been gone too long. Don't you think we should go after him?"

"He can handle himself. You need to go relax."

I knew he was right. Not too long ago, my body had a massive spasm that lasted quite some time. It hurt _so _much and I'd felt Anakin going through the same excruciating pain as me. That was why I was worried.

"What if he can't? Normally, he would be back in a flash with Vestara. What if Padme did something to him?"

He gave me a curious glance before sighing. "I'm worried about him as well, young one. Let's go look for him, shall we?"

I smiled at him in relief, nodding. He grabbed a foldable speeder from the back and began to bring it down the landing ramp.

He sat down on it and I crawled onto it, wrapping my arms around his waist. As awkward as it felt, I didn't care. I just wanted to make sure Anakin was all right. "Can you sense him?"

I reached out into the Force and felt a fragment of his presence. "Yes, just keep going until I tell you to stop."

He sped across the terrain of Naboo until I told him to change direction. An old landing ramp came into view, but what caught my attention was the body not too far from us.

Master Kenobi stopped the speeder and I jumped off. I ran towards the body and fell to my knees beside it. Despite the dust and dirt, I knew it was Anakin.

I wondered if he'd felt the exact same pain I'd felt not too long ago. I could feel his pain as he lay very still in front of me and it echoed my own physical pain right this moment.

If Obi-Wan hadn't been with me earlier, I would have hurt myself much more than whatever had caused the pain.

I rubbed Anakin's back slowly, whispering, "Wake up, please." It sounded like I was begging him to wake up. Tears were forming in my eyes and threatened to fall down my face.

Obi-Wan hovered above us and stared in horror at Anakin. My heart was threatening to explode until he rolled over onto his back and groaned. His eyes barely opened as he rested his head on my lap and looked up at me. "Hey," he whispered.

I smiled at him and brushed his hair out of his face. "You're okay, Master," I whispered. With Obi-Wan here, I _had _to call him Master.

A saddened burst of energy erupted out of him as he looked up at me. "No. Vestara is _gone._"


	21. Plans

**POV: Padme Amidala**

I slowly led Vestara onto my ship, leading her towards the bridge. We entered and I smiled at my newest pilot companion. "Vestara, you remember Jarkael," I said with a smirk.

I watched her wince as he winked at her. I was going to kill him once his usefulness had run out, but I wanted her to know that he was here and that he had joined me as she had.

"Now, let me show you to your quarters." I motioned for her to exit the bridge, forcing her to walk in front of me.

She walked in complete silence as she neared the rear of the ship. Her terror had satisfied me beyond what I'd expected. I _loved _feeling fear in my pawns.

The fear she possessed meant that I had complete control over her. Then again, I'd thought the same about Anakin several years ago. He and Vestara had the same strong will. They were strong even in the face of death and that was their flaw.

Once we entered her quarters, I slammed her against the wall, pinning her arms behind her back. "Let me go!" she screamed. She attempted to kick back at me and twist her body to bite me, but I wouldn't allow it.

I snarled in her ear and whispered, "As soon as I'm done with you, _child,_ I will be more than happy to rid myself of your presence."

I spun her around and forced her back against the wall. I stared into her eyes and began to compel her. I could see every thought, every dream, that she'd had since helping Anakin escape.

I slowly began to remove her memories one by one, causing her excruciating pain as she couldn't remember anything she cherished. I left her hanging at the night before we were supposed to capture Anakin. Once I'd finished, she slid down the wall. She whispered, "I don't want to forget…" before completely losing consciousness.

I shook my head. Such a _weak _child. How had I _ever _thought she would be any good? I swear, the Jedi had softened her since I'd last seen her.

I scoffed and took my leave. I would just wait until she woke up again before I completed the next phase of my master plan.

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

I slowly opened my eyes to see the alabaster ceiling above me. I wondered how I'd gotten here after talking with my mother. I don't even remember boarding the vessel we were now on.

I stood up and rubbed my eyes before blurring out of my room and towards the area where my mother was on the bridge. I sensed that she was waiting for me.

I smiled up at her as I stood beside her. "Hello, mother," I whispered.

She stared at me for a few minutes before her smile widened. "Hello, Vestara. How are you feeling?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I feel… fine. Why do you ask?"

She sighed. "You collapsed after tripping on a stairway. You fell down two flights of stairs, my love. Didn't you notice the marks on your cheek?"

She looked shocked as I reached up to my face, tracing three long scratches on my left cheek. _Weird. _They felt more like claw marks, but who knows what I fell on?

"Sorry," I whispered. "That sounds like me."

She smiled. "It's okay, darling. Do you remember what we were talking about?"

"Um," I trailed off, glancing away from her. "My father, right?"

She nodded slowly. "Right. I have a surprise for you, Vestara."

"What is it?"

She smiled and clicked something on her comlink. Within seconds, a boy appeared. He looked to be about my age and _very _handsome. "Vestara, this is your _personal _body guard, Dean. He's to stay by your side for the duration of our… _mission._"

The way she said each word scared me a bit, but I nodded. The boy bowed and my mother walked away. Dean had beautiful, neon, electric, blue eyes and he was very muscular. He had sandy, brown hair and wore a full black outfit.

"Hi," he said.

I blinked and looked up at his face. "Hi."

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Ah, we'll be sharing a room, so… would you mind showing me where we're staying?"

"Sure," I said, shrugging.

I turned around and led him back to my room in complete silence. My thoughts kept traveling back to his features and his voice. _His voice…_ My heart melted as it echoed in my head.

As we entered my room, I noticed another bed had been placed across from mine. He set his pack down on the floor and sat on his bed, watching me.

I walked towards my bed and lay down, curling into a ball. I heard him lay back and relax. He pulled his Holopad out of his pack and began to skim through several channels at once.

I turned over and stared at him.

After an hour, he finally looked away from whatever he was reading and raised an eyebrow at me. "Can I help you with something?"

"No," I said quickly.

"No offense, but can you, please, stop staring? It's _really _annoying." His attention returned to the Holopad and I looked up at the ceiling once again.

"I'm sorry. I'm just a little… _confused. _Why does my mom think I need a bodyguard?"

My eyes met his curious ones. He sighed and set his Holopad down on the floor, sitting up. "Do you know _anything _about the guy you're hunting?"

I shook my head. "Only the fact that he's my father."

"He's a vampire _and _a Jedi with a _very _bad record. I hear he's a drunk and, apparently, your mother created him quite some time ago. Now, the reason I'm here with you is for your own protection."

"I can take care of myself," I said, rolling my eyes. I didn't even think that was the reason my mother assigned a body guard to me.

He chuckled and lifted his Holopad again. "What?" I asked, growing angry as I sat up. He set the Holo down on the bed and shook his head.

"It's just that you fell down some stairs and were knocked out for a week. You think you can handle yourself," he scoffed. He folded his arms over his chest and smirked at me.

I raised an eyebrow. _Laugh at me, will he?_ I blurred over to him and grabbed his arms, slamming him down onto the floor. I quickly pulled his arms behind his back, lifted him, and slammed him into the durasteel wall. He began to struggle with no luck.

"_Now, _can I protect myself?"

He didn't respond and I squeezed his arm. "Yes," he gasped, turning slightly to look at me over his shoulder.

I smiled and leaned forward, kissing his cheek before releasing him.

I was shocked by what I'd just done, but I decided to let it pass. He slumped down towards the floor and I extended my arm to help him up.

He surprised me by grabbing my hand and flipping me over onto his bed. "Say you need me."

I growled at him and bared my fangs as his teeth slid over my neck. "Come on, say it."

"Fine. _I need you,_" I admitted bitterly. "Will you let go of me now?"

He smirked and leaned further over my shoulder. I glanced back at him and, again, to my surprise, our lips met. He pressed himself up against me and we both enjoyed the passionate kiss.

His arms released mine and he gripped both sides of my waist. I ran my fingers through his hair as the kiss deepened. I found myself moaning without thinking about it and I smiled against his warm lips.

He wrapped my legs around his waist during the kiss and lifted me as he straightened up. He turned us both and sat down on his bed. I put more pressure on his body and moaned again as he began to kiss my neck.

His hands roamed over my back until my comlink went off. We both stopped suddenly and I allowed the transmission to come though. "Vestara," I whispered.

"_Change of plans, my darling. Instead of going to Mustafar, he will be coming to us. I want to see you on the bridge._"

"Yes, mother."

"_Now!_" she screeched.

"All right! I'm on my way!" I yelled, hanging up.

"I'll… snatch whatever I can from the supplies closet. I'm kind of hungry," Dean whispered.

"Okay, you do that." I blurred out of my quarters until I reached the bridge.

My mother glared at me for quite some time before actually beginning to speak. Her voice was rough and angry as she said, "Don't get _too _attached to him, Vestara."

"I'm not."

She scoffed and slowly began to circle me. I felt my own fear building up as I knew what was coming next. "Do _not _lie to me, child," she growled.

She grabbed my arm from behind and twisted it. I gasped in pain as she chuckled. "Now, you won't lie to me again, will you?"

I shook my head quickly, gasping as she released me.

"_Good. _Now, tomorrow night, your father and I will be in the Mos Eisley Catina. He and I will be in the alleyway and I'm expecting you to arrive. Do you understand? You and Dean will be useful back up if he… _resists._"

I wanted to ask her why he would resist. Wouldn't he want to see me? I swallowed and nodded. She gripped my arm tighter and spun me around, forcing me to face her. "I would hate to see something regretful happen to your little pet if your part of the plan isn't kept up."

Once again, I nodded fearfully. I slowly left her, fearing that I would receive more punishment if I stuck around.

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

I watched Anakin from a short distance away. We hadn't left Naboo because he was wallowing in his personal blame. He sat on the landing ramp of the ship, holding his head in his hands.

He hadn't spoken a word since he'd recovered from his pain. I looked up at Master Kenobi sadly and he frowned. He was worried about Anakin just as much as I was. "I'm going to go speak with the people of Theed and attempt to scrounge up some fuel to leave the planet. Can you keep an eye on him?"

"You do realize I can hear you?" he called out, not lifting his head.

I nodded at Master Kenobi and he quickly left, sprinting towards the city.

I began to close the distance between Anakin and me, but I grew too nervous. The last thing I wanted right now was to upset him more. "Come here," he whispered.

I watched him straighten up and focus on me. He extended his mechanical hand towards me, staring into my eyes.

I ran to him without another ounce of hesitation and he held me against his chest. "Don't be afraid of me," he whispered. "I'm angry, but I won't hurt you."

"I wish there was something I could do for you," I whispered, running my fingers through his hair. He rubbed my back slowly and kissed my shoulder.

"I love you, Ahsoka. A simple smile will make me feel better. You don't have to try to do anything to help me. Just talking to you is making me feel better. I love feeling you…"

I kissed his neck slowly. "I love you."

"I'm sorry if you're upset with me for the way I've been acting since –"

"Anakin, I understand. You don't have to apologize or explain yourself."

I sat on his leg and continued to hug him. I sighed in content as he ran his hand over my rear lek. "Once he comes back, we'll go home. I need to figure out how to get her back, but, until then, I'm going to spend some time with you…"

I smiled and nodded against his chest. "That sounds wonderful."

"I'm not going to let you out of my sight until I know you're safe," he whispered.


	22. Painful Meeting

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I groaned as I began to wake up. I hadn't been able to sleep very fitfully, so I was still kind of tired. I rubbed my eyes and turned my head, glancing at Ahsoka. She was still asleep.

I pushed myself up and snuck out of the room. I crept silently into Vestara's room next door. I crossed the room and sat on her plain bed.

I closed my eyes and could vaguely hear Vestara humming herself to sleep each night. It was such a relaxing tune and it even helped me sleep sometimes.

I wondered if this was what she'd do after Padme hurt her in the past. I sighed and doubled over myself, holding my head in my hands.

I growled when I remembered how much pain Padme had caused her.

I stood up and my growling continued until I finally let loose and slammed my fist into the nightstand beside her bed. I completely _shattered._ Pieces fell around the floor and I grunted. I heard something hit the floor and I gave it a curious look.

There was a book with her locket wrapped around it. I bent down and grasped the locket, rubbing over it with my thumb for a few moments. I shoved it into a fold in my robe and lifted the book.

I flipped it open to the first page and read, "_Anakin, if you read this, please, go to the medbay with Ahsoka and get the droids out of your bodies. If you see me again, I'll explain later._"

I ripped the page out of the book and tossed it away from me. I sat down on her bed and looked over the note once more. That explained why Ahsoka and I had been in so much pain earlier.

I groaned as I felt something invading my private thoughts. I closed my eyes and attempted to block out the entrance. "_Did you miss me?_"

"You," I snarled, growing angrier. "How are _you _in my head?"

"_Vestara allowed me in_," she chuckled. I growled and stood up.

"What did you do to her?" I shouted into my thoughts. If Padme had so much as touched her wrong… Well, let's just say that she would _regret _it. _Big time._

"_Oh, how _cute. _You actually care about her, Ani. I've done nothing to her. I saw everything she's seen and I went in. She didn't feel a thing._ _Anyway, Anakin, listen to me. If you _ever _want to see her again, all you have to do is come… _meet _me._"

I clenched my teeth together and tried to find an escape.

The idea of seeing her again made me sick to my stomach. "When and where?" I asked reluctantly.

"_Tomorrow in the Mos Eisley Cantina._"

After she'd given me the information, I felt her fade out of my thoughts.

I looked at the note again and growled. I left the note in the room and blurred back into my own.

I touched Ahsoka lightly. She opened her eyes and looked up at me, jumping. "I didn't hear anything," she whispered.

"I know you did. It was kind of… _loud._ Anyway, I need you to come with me, love."

"Where are we going?"

"To the medbay. Vestara left me a little clue as to why we were in so much pain earlier."

**Later.**

Ahsoka and I were recovering from the surgery. I stood beside her bed and watched her sleep. I stroked her cheek and decided that I had to leave her now.

I leaned forward and kissed her lips gently before blurring out of the medbay. I made my way towards the hangar and was prepared to board a small ship.

I was prepping the shuttle when I felt a small hand on my shoulder. I jumped and turned to see Ahsoka staring at me curiously. "What are you doing?"

I touched her hand and whispered, "Rescuing Vestara," before returning to prepping the ship.

"Let me come with you." I whipped around and glared at her. I could _not _allow Ahsoka to come along because I wouldn't be able to live with myself if Padme hurt her again.

"No. You are _not._"

"Vestara is important to me, too, Anakin!" she pleaded. I grabbed her arms a little too harshly and her eyes widened. I felt her trembling and I relaxed my grip.

I rubbed her skin slowly and leaned forward, kissing her jaw. I heard her breath escape her lips as they parted and she moaned quietly.

I couldn't let her come with me. I couldn't let her fall into the wrong hands. It was already bad enough that she'd placed her faith in Vestara and me.

With Padme, who knows what might happen? I could lose myself and hurt her, _kill _her…

"I hope you know that I love you," I whispered as I paused. She touched my sides and I watched her nod slowly through my barely opened eyes. "I only want to protect you, Ahsoka."

I closed my eyes again and kissed her neck slowly. She still shook, but it was in excitement. I pulled away and lifted my hand to stroke her cheek. I smiled weakly at her as her eyes opened. "I'm sorry, Ahsoka."

She raised her eye markings at me. "For what?"

"_This,_" I said painfully. I began my compulsion spell, slowly forcing her to lose consciousness. I stopped once her body went limp in my arms.

I hated to do that to her, but it was necessary. "I'm sorry, my love." I lifted her into my arms and kissed her forehead before walking down the landing ramp.

I rested her against Obi-Wan's shuttle and headed back towards my own. I paused and blurred over to her. I took her comlink and connected with Obi-Wan. "_Kenobi._"

"Go to the hangar," I whispered before disconnecting the link.

I blurred into my shuttle and took off.

I set the coordinates for Tatooine in the auto-piloting system before I closed my eyes. I lost myself in thought, traveling back to Ahsoka in the hangar. I didn't want to leave her that way, but I couldn't risk being caught by her or Obi-Wan.

I was finally snapped back to reality when the ship's navigation system beeped, signaling that I was now entering Tatooine's atmosphere. I sighed at how quickly several hours had gone by for me.

Once I landed, I immediately left the shuttle and rented a speeder. I sped off towards Mos Eisley and parked outside of the designated cantina.

I entered slowly and looked around. My eyes locked onto the brown hair in the back of the building. She was sitting in a _private _booth. _Alone._

I slowly walked towards her and slid into the booth, sitting across from her. The music was rather annoying as her eyes pierced my soul. "This feels familiar, doesn't it?" she whispered, smiling at me.

I rolled my eyes and made a disapproving sound, wanting to ignore her as best as I could. I looked around the cantina, searching for Vestara. "She's _not _here, Anakin."

I returned my attention to the monster in front of me and glared. Where was she if not here? My thoughts began to play tricks on me. I could see Vestara tied up somewhere, being tormented as I had been. Maybe she was dying… _or already dead._

"Where is she?" I asked, grinding the words out between my teeth.

"Oh, she's… _around. _You can relax. I haven't done anything to her. _Yet._"

A droid rolled over to us and set two drinks down on the table without a word and left. "This is just like when I first met you, remember?" She laughed. "You were the handsome, naïve, young man that had _everything _going for him. Then you stumbled upon such a rundown bar and met a beautiful, _young _woman."

"You were never beautiful," I sneered.

She leaned forward in her seat and I felt her hand rest on my knee beneath the table. I stiffened up as she smiled deviously at me. "Do you remember when we went back to my apartment after you wasted yourself? Do you remember how we… _noticed _each other?"

With each word, she either rubbed or slid further up my leg. "It could still be like old times, Anakin."

Her hand had finally reached its limits, nearly reaching one specific area that I never wanted her to touch again. Before it got to that point, I snatched her hand with my mechanical one and squeezed it tightly. I continued to glare and relaxed myself. "Things will _never _be like old times for us, Padme. _Ever again._"

She pulled her hand away from mine and smirked. I was about to respond when two drunk Rodians fell over onto our table.

They were arguing about some woman and physically fighting about it as well. Blood dripped onto our table and I gasped as my throat began to burn intensely. I wished now that I hadn't been drinking Ahsoka's blood. I _knew _this would happen because of that, no matter how little I took from her.

I tried to control my thirst, forcing myself to think about anything _but _the thirst.

Padme chuckled, eyeing me as she did so. "I see you're taking more than just your Padawan's heart," she whispered.

She looked at the Rodians and began to compel them. They ceased in their futile attempts at killing each other and I watched as Padme motioned for them to step out into the alleyway.

She slid out of the booth and followed them outside.

I sat still for a few moments, eyes shut tightly as I decided whether or not I should follow her.

I slid out and growled under my breath as I walked out and into the alley.

Once it was just the four of us, I grabbed a Rodian and clutched his throat tightly, slamming his back against the wall. Padme did the same with the other one, smiling at me.

I sank my fangs into his neck and drank him dry, feeling no sympathy or regret whatsoever. Quite frankly, it _scared _me. I threw his lifeless corpse away from me. It was almost as if I'd become a different person with Padme.

With Ahsoka, I tried to be kind and I tried to keep myself under control. With Padme, I was the animal that she'd created…

I was _soulless._

Without any warning whatsoever, two hands grasped my throat and Padme's bloodied face came into view.

I struggled in her grip as Vestara and another boy – roughly around her age – appeared. "Vestara! Run!" I managed to choke out.

One hand left my throat and I watched Padme pull a wooden stake out of her robes. I gripped her wrist and tried my best to swing her body away from me, but she was _stronger._ She had _always _been stronger than me…

"Good-bye, Anakin," she smirked.

The stake came towards my body and I closed my eyes quickly. I _never _felt the wooden tip pierce my skin and dig into my heart.

I opened my eyes to see Vestara holding the stake several inches away from my chest.

Padme was seething, growling, "What do you think you're doing, _child?_"

"I just thought the mission was to capture him," she said innocently. "_Not _kill him."

Padme looked at me angrily. "It _was._" She looked back at Vestara and sighed. "I guess you have every right to be curious about your father. I suppose I _could _keep him."

Vestara nodded and glanced at me. Unfortunately, Padme noticed this. I gaped at the girl as Padme barked an order at the boy. "Dean, take her back to the ship!"

He nodded and wrapped his arm around Vestara's waist, leading her away from the alley.

Padme watched them leave and, once they disappeared from view, she returned her attention to me. "You wiped her memories," I growled, partially shocked and mainly upset.

She chuckled and nodded. "You'll wish Vestara hadn't begged for you to be saved, Ani," she whispered, smiling at me.

She brought me forward, clenching her fingers around my throat tighter. I gasped as she slammed me against the wall.

She released me and I dropped to the ground, black swirls filling my vision. I couldn't even make myself move…

"Good night, Ani," her cruel voice whispered before my world faded out.


	23. Coming Back

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I woke up and found myself bound and gagged. Once again, I was chained to a wall by drain chains. My head was reeling and ached horribly. After several minutes, it _still _didn't go away.

I glanced around me and mentally sighed. _Great._ Vestara and I were _right _back where we started.

I shifted my position cautiously, not wanting to hurt myself with the drain chains again. The last time I'd done it, it had been painful. At least Ahsoka wouldn't be here to listen to my screams as Padme tortured me.

After I moved, I heard a small sound in my robes. I remembered that I'd had Vestara's locket after visiting her room. I hadn't been given the chance to return it to her, nor would I at this rate.

The door to my darkened cell opened and I cringed as the light from the hallway burned my eyes. Padme's silhouette emerged before the door closed, sending me plunging into the depths of darkness once again.

A small light in the center of the ceiling dimly lit the room and Padme stalked closer to me, sitting in my lap. She pulled the gag down from my mouth and rested it around my throat.

"Hello, Ani," she giggled. "Enjoying your stay?"

I growled and pulled forward, attempting to shatter the chains – _futilely._ I screamed in agony as the metal dug itself into my wrists and drained me. I slumped back against the wall and gasped. Blood was slowly trickling down my arms and neck. She chuckled and moved forward, pressing her body against mine in a way that made me _very _uncomfortable.

"Funny," she whispered. "I've always wondered how vampire blood might taste."

I cocked an eyebrow, not really understanding _why _she would think about _that._ Suddenly, her tongue was running over my skin and she was licking up the blood that had trailed down it. I groaned – or _moaned _– as her teeth sank into my neck and she slowly began to drink my blood.

I realized too late that this was _wrong._ I began to struggle and kick my legs out as she continued.

Vestara was right – as I knew she had been all along. Padme didn't care about me at all. I'd learned this before, but this was just proof of it.

She pulled away after a few moments and smiled at me as my blood dripped down her chin. I felt my stomach churning as I stared at her in disgust. "_Good,_" she whispered. "But _not _as good as your Padawan's."

She crawled out of my lap and I leapt forward, injuring myself once again. At this point, I didn't really care about my pain. My anguish and hatred was burning like a newly lit fire. "You _didn't,_" I growled.

As far as I knew, she hadn't taken Ahsoka's blood. If she had, she was going to pay for more than just torturing her, Vestara, and me.

She shrugged. "Maybe I did. Then again, maybe I didn't. You'll _never _know because you wiped her memoires." She smirked at me and I gasped.

"H-how did you know that?" The only people that knew I'd taken Ahsoka's memories had been the Council, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and –

I hit my head against the wall and closed my eyes. _Vestara. _I opened my eyes slowly and glared daggers at the devil standing before me. "You went through her memories."

"You bet I did," she laughed. "And may I just say, when you visited her in her room…" She sighed and rolled her eyes. "_Very _touching."

"That was _private._" She stroked my hair and gave me a smirk.

"Not to me," she whispered. She lifted the gag from my neck and placed it in my mouth again. Normally, I'd rip it to shreds, but I could taste the blood on it. I didn't know where it came from, but it was humanoid.

I didn't want any more blood.

She stroked my cheek before turning to leave.

I sat in the dimly lit room, completely silent until the door reopened. My eyes lifted from the tiling on the floor to the boy that had been with Vestara earlier.

He hesitated in the door way and I leaned my head back, sighing in frustration. I heard his footsteps coming closer to me and he knelt in front of me. He pulled the gag out of my mouth and slid it down to my neck once again.

"Would you like something to drink?"

I barely opened my eyes to see a bottle of blood. I could smell it and it burned like you couldn't imagine. "You might die if you don't. Vestara told me to give you some because you're her father. She wants to take care of you."

I stared at him and whispered, "I suppose."

He lifted the bottle to my lips and the blood slowly dripped into my mouth. Once I'd finished a quarter of the bottle, I turned my head away and licked my lips. "What's your name?"

He glanced at me for a brief second, returning his gaze to the floor. "Dean."

"Well, _Dean,_ thank you for taking care of Vestara."

He nodded. He sat in front of me in silence for a few moments. I watched him stand up and I quickly spoke. "Can you do me a favor?"

"I guess," he replied, shrugging.

"Just above my left side is a locket that belongs to Vestara. Can you get it out of my robe and give it to her, please?"

"Okay." He moved the folds of my vest uncomfortably and finally found the locket. He stared at me curiously before replacing the gag and leaving.

I groaned. At least Vestara would have something from her past life. I was hoping that she'd begin to remember _something._

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

Dean blurred back into my room and sat down across from me. "Well?"

"He sounded pretty bad, but, other than that, he's fine. He wanted me to give you this. I don't know why, but here it is."

He lifted it and allowed the pretty piece of jewelry to dangle from his hand. I took it and smiled. The first gift from my father. I flipped it over and saw my name engraved into it.

I handed it back to him and lifted my hair up. He wrapped it around my neck for me, locking it.

When the centerpiece rested on my skin, I had a sudden flash of memories speed back into my thoughts. Everything I'd done was coming back to me _quickly._

I stared at Dean and gripped his shoulders tightly. The memories were coming in much slower now. "Vestara? What's wrong?"

I gasped and laughed nervously. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He stroked my hair gently as I stared into his eyes.

"I love you. I'll believe you even if it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

I rolled my eyes. There was no way… I thought back to Anakin. He'd tried desperately to keep himself from falling in love with Ahsoka, but he couldn't resist. I wondered if, maybe, the way a vampire felt stuck around for many years.

He and I had a private conversation not too long ago about vampire love. He told me that our emotions are very strong and, once they become solid, it's hard to go back and leave the feeling behind.

Maybe Dean _did _love me. "Okay, here it goes."

Slowly, I explained everything to him. I told him about all that had happened to my _real _parents. He was shocked to learn that Padme was such a horrible person and that Anakin wasn't even my father.

"Wow. That's just… _horrible,_ for lack of a better word."

To make sure I wasn't dreaming, I walked into the refresher and pulled the sleeve of my left arm up. I turned the faucet on and tossed the water onto my skin.

The makeup that blended into my skin drained down into the sink and my scar appeared. Dean stared at it with widened eyes before clearing his throat. "So what's the plan, love?"

I was about to respond when Padme commed Dean. He answered immediately, keeping his eyes on me. Now that he was in on the situation, he knew that she wasn't to be trusted. "_Dean, bring Anakin down to the bridge and… Vestara, come to the bridge as well. Immediately._"

She disconnected the link and he stared at me. "What do you want to do?"

"Just play along until I think of something."

I turned to leave, but he gripped my wrist tightly. I came back to him and he wrapped his arms around my waist, staring deeply into my eyes. "In case I never see you again…" he whispered.

He pulled me closer and lowered his head slightly and our lips met.

I pulled away after a few moments and gave him a weak smile before blurring away from him.

I blurred into Padme's room and an awful smell burned my nostrils. I glanced around the room and moved to the side of her bed to see Jarkael's bloody body, torn to shreds.

His throat was ripped open and the look of fear he'd worn prior to his death was still plastered upon his face. I felt somewhat bad for him, but I couldn't deal with him now. This was more reason to kill Padme.

I glanced around the room again and found Padme's wide range of drugs for various uses. I quickly searched for the one that I needed and I smiled once I found it. I held it up in the light and read the label.

It would transform someone's soul, turning them to the dark side unwillingly. I didn't hesitate to smash it against the wall. It felt _good._

I watched the blue liquid drip down the wall and stain the carpeting. Now she could never use it on anyone.

I blurred out of her room and ended up on the bridge moments later. "Mother?" I asked, continuing to play along.

I was thankful that I'd been able to get the word out. A lump had formed in my throat and it was very difficult to keep my part up.

"Ah, hello, my dear," she said sweetly.

"What is it, mother?"

She gave me a wicked smile, malevolence in her eyes. "Just wait until Anakin gets here."

The door slid open and Anakin came in with his hands bound behind his back by the drain chains. The gag was still in his mouth. He stared at me and gave me a very sorrowful look. He must not have heard Dean and me.

Padme grabbed him and forced him down onto his knees. He groaned as she pressed a button on her wrist.

Dean blurred over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist as two MangaGuards brought Ahsoka and Obi-Wan in.

My eyes widened as they were also forced onto their knees. "Vestara, this is Anakin's former Master and his apprentice. I think, as a victory celebration, we should drink them. How does that sound?"

Ahsoka stared at Anakin in fear and he stared back at her with the same look. Obi-Wan was concerned for all of our well-beings.

I decided that this was a now or never situation. I either made my move now or was her mindless minion forever. If I kept up this role, all of my friends would be slaughtered.

"_No._"

She stared at me in shock, looking _completely _surprised. "What did you just say?" she ground out.

"Read my lips, old woman." I spelled 'no' out for her. "I believe that spells 'no.'"

"Oh, really?" She grabbed me by my throat and lifted me into the air.

My feet dangled from above where I'd stabbed her with the shard of glass. "You're going – to lose," I choked out, gripping her wrist with both of my hands.

"How could I _possibly _lose, child? Can't you see that it's over? You've _lost._"

I chuckled despite the pressure on my throat. "Yes, but I know something you don't."

"And what is that?"

"I remember _everything._" I kicked her in the chest and she howled in pain, falling to her knees. She released me and I blurred over to Anakin.

I ripped the drain chains off of his wrists as well as the gag. He stared at me in surprise and I hugged him quickly. "Vestara, let's go."

I looked up and saw the other two freed. Dean must have done it. "No," I whispered.

"What?" He stood up and towered over me, threatening me with his eyes.

"I will _not _allow her the chance to survive so she can take something away from me again!" I yelled, my voice hoarse.

Anakin stared into my eyes and saw the seriousness. He glanced at Padme and I watched something spark in his eyes as his mouth twisted. Padme was still catching her breath across the room.

He bent down and blurred away from me all in one motion.

I watched him twist her arms behind her back violently and snap the drain chains onto her wrists. He whispered, "And now _I _am in charge."

He growled and pulled her up. "You'll pay for this!" she screamed, directing it at me.

My vision became hazy as she glared at me and I felt very weak all of a sudden. I didn't quite know how to explain the feeling, nor could I conjure up a reason for it. My knees buckled and, luckily, I fell into someone's arms before losing consciousness.**  
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	24. Back at the Temple

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

Anakin told me to stay with Vestara until she woke up, so I listened to him. I wanted to stay with him after all that had happened, but he told me that he had some things to '_clear up._' I knew he was going down to see Padme and, despite his pure hatred towards her, I felt a little jealous.

I didn't like that he wanted to go see her instead of spend time with me, but I guess I understood.

Vestara jerked up into a sitting position, panting. I stared at her and put my hand on top of hers. "Hey, you're safe," I whispered. "Everything's okay."

She stared at me and finally relaxed, nodding slowly. "Ahsoka…" she breathed. "Where are we?"

"We're back in the temple."

"Where's Dean?"

"He's resting in your room. Padme tried to hurt him and Anakin. Anakin was in the medbay for a little while…"

"Are they okay?" she asked quickly.

I thought back to the scene after Vestara had gone unconscious. Anakin put the drain chains that had tormented him on Padme's wrists and he'd growled so fiercely. Padme spoke a few words that I dare not repeat, especially since Anakin would probably be able to hear me.

Padme nearly got away. She'd practically clawed Anakin and Dean to death. I swallowed and closed my eyes, nodding. "They're both fine."

"Can I go see Dean?"

"Anakin is in charge of that. He's busy at the moment."

She stared at me and I bit my lip, not quite sure as to what she was searching for. "What else happened while I was out?"

"The Council…" I trailed off, looking away from her. "They don't approve of your attachment to Dean. Anakin stood up for you though. He told them that he was attached to me."

"He did _what?_"

"You're both vampires. I don't think the Council will challenge either of you. Anakin is older and much more dangerous, from what he's told me, and so he firmly believes that the Council is going to allow us to love."

"What if they deny it?"

"He'll leave. I'm going with him if he leaves."

She raised an eyebrow at me and shook her head. "I don't think you'll follow him."

I was taken aback by that comment. "W-what do you mean?"

"I can see that you're still afraid of him. He has the potential to kill you with a single touch, a single _kiss._ He knows you won't survive long enough with him. He'll run from his love life like he did before."

My breath caught and tears began to well up in my eyes. I wiped my eyes, trying to prevent the tears that were bound to pour down my face. "I-I'll see you later, V-Vestara."

I stood up, practically throwing my chair across the room as I stood. "Ahsoka!" she called out as I turned away and began to storm out of the medbay. "I didn't mean that!"

I slammed the door behind me and the tears rolled down my face freely. "What happened?"

I jumped when I saw Anakin in front of me. He caressed my face in his mechanical hand gently, staring at my face. I wiped my eyes quickly and tried to force a smile. "Nothing."

He grabbed my hand and stopped its motion. "Why are you _crying?_"

"I'm not. I got something in my eye."

"You do realize that you can't lie to me, right?"

I stared up at his face and my lips trembled. I crashed against his chest and he held me as tightly as he possibly could without hurting me. "Tell me what happened," he whispered.

I rubbed his back and gasped as my body shook from the sobs. "Shh," he said, his deep voice soothing me. "Just relax, my love."

"Do you _really _love me?"

He stroked my rear lek slowly. "Why would you ask me that?" I almost didn't hear him. That's how quiet he was.

"_Do _you?"

He pulled back a bit and lowered himself to my level so I could stare into his blue eyes that had traces of yellow in them. "I love you more than you think I do. It's been a long time since I've admitted that I fell in love with such a beautiful girl."

I smiled moments before his lips pressed against mine. Without any warning, he suddenly pulled away and growled. I took his hand and held it tightly. "What's wrong?"

"_Padme_," he snarled.

"Don't do –"

"I won't kill her," he said aloud. "I'm going to make her suffer and I'm going to enjoy ever last moments of it."

The way his voice sounded when he spoke the last sentence sent a chill through me. I stared up at him until his eyes finally refocused on mine. "How about you go lie down for a little while?"

"I don't want to be alone."

He stroked my cheek and smiled at me. "With me around, you'll _never _be alone. I can hear you from a mile away."

"Did you hear –?"

"I heard what she said to you and I'm going to talk to her about it. For now, go lie down, okay? You're stressing out over everything. Relax for a little while and I'll join you shortly, all right?"

"Can you…" I trailed off, thinking that the rest of that sentence would sound really idiotic. He's a vampire that's lived for over a century. He didn't need to do childish things for me.

"Can I _what?_"

I shook my head. "Just forget it. I'll see you in a little bit."

I tried to walk past him, but he gently grabbed my shoulder. "Do I have to _force _you to tell me?"

"It's childish. Just leave it alone."

"I don't care if it's childish. It's _you._"

I sighed and he smiled warmly at me, forcing my heart to stop beating and my breath to catch again. After staring for an unknown amount of time, I saw his hand waving in front of my face. "_Breathe!_"

I jumped and blinked. "Sorry."

He sighed. "Don't do that. You scared me."

I hugged him tightly and closed my eyes, smiling against his chest. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

"Now will you tell me what you were going to ask me?"

"_No._"

He pulled back and stared into my eyes. I could see the yellow tints a lot clearer now. I blinked and looked away. "Okay, okay," I breathed.

I could feel his victory emotions. I glanced at him sideways and he smirked. "Can you tuck me in?" I whispered, biting my lip.

"So that was the big question?" he asked with a smile.

He swept me into his arms and I giggled. "I love it when you blush."

I rested my head on his shoulder and wrapped my arms around his neck, smiling. He blurred back to our dorm and set me down on his bed. He was hovering above me, smiling widely. I loved the way he smiled. It was so… _beautiful._

He kissed me passionately for a few moments before my world faded away.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I stroked her cheek as I watched her face tilt to the side. I had to make her relax. She was _way _too stressed out lately and I didn't like it. I kissed the left diamond on her forehead and frowned at the thirst burning my throat.

I needed to go out and that would be the opportune moment to speak with Vestara about how fragile Ahsoka's emotions were as a humanoid.

I figured that I could survive a little longer without threatening Ahsoka's life, so I blurred out of the dormitory and down towards the cell where I'd locked Padme up.

I closed the door behind me and glared at the figure chained to the wall.

"Back so soon?" she laughed.

"As long as you're my _captive,_ you aren't going to have a pleasant stay, _milady._"

"It's been quite a while since I've heard you call me that, Ani."

I growled and pulled her hands forward, smiling as she shrieked in pain. I found myself frozen in place, wanting her to scream in agony. Never in my life had I ever been this pleased by pain.

I reluctantly released her and she gasped in pain. "I bet you feel _strong._"

"Oh," I laughed. "I certainly _do._"

I grabbed her hands and jerked them forward, feeling my heart race as her screams echoed in the cell. "Did you honestly think I'd _ever _join you?" I growled, releasing her.

She slumped against the wall and smiled despite the pain. "You would have if we were still sleeping together."

"You mean if I hadn't found out about all of the other men you slept with _including _me."

"Is that why you ran? _Jealousy?_"

"_I _am the one asking questions," I growled, slamming her head into the wall. "What's up your sleeve now, _sleemo?_"

"I've got a plan that involves you."

"Tell me something I _don't _know."

"I need to kill your Padawan as a sacrifice."

"I highly doubt that. You and I both know that sacrifices were ruled out of the vampire culture three and a half centuries ago."

She rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I regret telling you everything. There should have been boundaries between us back then. I suppose I was just as blind as you were."

"Bite me," I snarled.

"Come here and I will."

I rolled my eyes. "If you don't tell me _why _you keep coming back, other than to make me join your cause, I'll –"

The door opened suddenly and I spun around. "What is that _thing _doing here?" she screeched.

I blurred back to the door and grabbed her. "Vestara," I whispered. "Please, _leave._"

"No!" she screamed at me, shoving me backwards. "I want to know why it's here! You can't keep _that _in the temple, Anakin. Are you _crazy?_"

"If she's _here,_ then we can keep an eye on her," I growled.

"And she can toy with _you._"

"What is with you today?" I ground out, glaring at her.

"I want her _gone!_"

"Why?" I yelled. "So she can kill innocent people? It's not fair to them if they're –"

"You were like _her!_"

I gaped at her, feeling hurt beyond my own self recognition. I _never _wanted to be compared to this monster. _Everyone _knew how much I _loathed _being used in a comparison when Padme was involved. "_Get. Out. Now._"

Her expression softened from its glare into a look of fear. She backed out of the room and I stormed out with her. I grabbed her shoulders and blurred, slamming her into the far wall. "Do _not _compare me to _her._ You're lucky that I don't just kill you on the spot for what you said to Ahsoka."

"I didn't –"

"I _heard _you," I said through my teeth. "You're overstepping your boundaries and I'm almost ready to kick you out after all that you've done. You _betrayed _us. You betrayed _me _to join that _filth._"

Tears began to form in her eyes. "I… I didn't want to hurt you, Anakin."

"Well, you _did._ You hurt _Ahsoka_ as well. Anyone that hurts _my _mate is _dead._"

I hadn't even realized that I thought of Ahsoka as my mate until this moment. I still lived in the past, I suppose. Today, I would be her… _boyfriend, _was it? "I'll apologize to her, Anakin. I didn't want to hurt either of you."

"For the time being, Padme will be in that cell. You are _not _to set foot inside there _ever._ Do you understand me?"

"Why?" she gasped, her eyes widening.

"Because you crushed Ahsoka without realizing she was here and you've struck a blow against me as well. If you come near her, you'll lose whatever control you possess. Stay with Dean and stay away from Padme."

She nodded solemnly. She turned away slowly and I waited for her to leave. She quickly turned towards me again. "I'm so sorry for betraying you and losing your trust," she whispered.

She blurred into me and hugged me tightly. I closed my eyes and returned the embrace. "I forgive you," I whispered.

She was like my little sister. I couldn't hate her forever…


	25. Intervention

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I walked towards Padme's cell the next morning, yawning as I did so. I hated leaving my bed this early in the morning, but I had to make sure Padme stayed locked up _right _where she was.

As I rounded the corner, I saw Vestara sitting down across from the cell. I stormed over to her and she looked up at me, opening her eyes slowly. "I thought I told you to _leave,_" I growled.

"You told me not to go _in _her cell. I haven't broken your rules, Daddy."

I growled again and she sighed, motioning for me to sit beside her. I sighed and sat down next to her. I regretted all that I'd said to her last night and it hurt me even after Ahsoka tried to make me feel better. I didn't like that Vestara chose to remain somewhat close to Padme after all that's happened lately. That was why I'd decided to ban her from the cell altogether.

"Did you get any sleep?" I whispered, looking sideways at her.

"I'll sleep when she's dead and gone for eternity," she responded, her voice very rough.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and she rested her head against my chest. I was still upset with her for what she'd said to Ahsoka, but Vestara and I were like family. I couldn't just let that bond crumble into pieces and be left for ruin.

_Ahsoka. _She and Obi-Wan had gone back to Naboo to observe and attempt fixing all that Padme had done while she was there. He and I both knew that she left havoc wherever she was and I encouraged Ahsoka to go with him. I felt sort of… _lonely_ without her.

She knew my thirst hasn't been quenched in quite some time because I wasn't allowing myself to take any more of her blood until further notice. I told her to leave for now until I had everything emotionally under control.

"Please, just try to sleep," I whispered, resting my chin on her head.

She nodded slowly and I felt her muscles relax. I knew how obsessive she could get when it came to Padme. She would purposely allow her health to deteriorate until she was mentally and physically drained unless someone took care of her.

I rubbed her arm slowly until I felt her fall asleep, which only took a few minutes. "Oh, how cute," Padme said from behind the door.

I growled quietly and held Vestara a little tighter. I held her head against my chest, hoping that she wouldn't wake up to hear what Padme was inevitably going to say. Padme was one to aggravate even when she was in a bad situation.

"_Oh._ It's _amazing _how many weaknesses you've seemed to acquire over the years, my little Anakin. You've had Obi-Wan around for quite some time, Ahsoka is finally in the picture, and now you have _Vestara._ I guess you don't abide by the Council's 'no attachment' rule very well," she sneered.

I clenched my teeth together and closed my eyes. "You're lucky Vestara's asleep," I whispered through my teeth. "If she wanted to rip your heart out, I'd just _let her._"

She chuckled and I rubbed Vestara's arms with my thumbs, trying to keep myself under control. I hated having Padme so close to me for multiple reasons, but, in retrospect, I _loved _and _enjoyed _it as well. I loved to hear her scream when I tormented her, when she begged me for mercy that I was reluctant to give.

I heard her break into a laughing fit once more. "And people say _I _am out of control."

I opened my eyes and felt my body burning up. _That _was _it, _the final straw. I pressed a button on my comlink and Dean immediately answered as I'd expected he would. "_Yes?_"

"Can you come get Vestara?" I said through my teeth, glaring at the door in front of me.

"_Sure. Give me a sec._" He disconnected the link and arrived exactly a second later. I lifted Vestara as I stood and I handed her off to him.

I was about to storm past him, but his voice stopped me. "Hey," he whispered. "I just wanted to let you know that she came to me, crying, last night."

"Why?" My chest tightened as I met his eyes.

"She said that it was because she was really sorry. Anakin, she told me that she never wanted to see you that angry at her again. It hurt her much more than she thought it would. She tried to brush it off, but she just _couldn't._"

I gaped. "W-Why are you telling me this?"

"Vestara couldn't bring herself to tell you how horrible she felt for all that she'd said to you and Ahsoka."

I examined him much more thoroughly. "You really do care about her," I whispered.

He nodded slowly and glanced down at her, giving her this… _look._ I recognized it only because I had given Ahsoka that same look every time I held her or was _near _her.

"I'd die for her," he said. I could hear the sincerity in his voice and I admired him for caring about her that much.

I stepped forward, smiling a bit. I rested my hand on his shoulder and he glanced up at me. "I'm sure you would, Dean, but, and this is fair warning…" I trailed off, watching his eyes. "If _anything _bad happens to her, _anything _at all, I _will _hunt you down to the ends of the galaxy until I have your head. Vestara is the only family I have that I can relate to and, as you well know, families protect each other."

He gulped a little and looked away from me. "I wouldn't know anything about family," he muttered before leaving with Vestara.

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his response, but I shrugged it off and entered Padme's cell. Her demonic face was _smirking _at me. "What?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "You honestly don't know very much about him, do you?"

I folded my arms over my chest and shrugged. Did she honestly expect me to be the vampire encyclopedia? "And I assume you do?" I growled.

"Oh, _yes. _Didn't you wonder why he always did as I asked?"

"You brainwashed him. It's in your nature to do something cruel like that."

"No," she said, rolling her eyes. "I _saved _him. I was dating this man – after you, of course – and he loved blood more than I ever cared for, although he did shape me into who I am now. Anyway, one night, we stumbled upon Dean's house."

She has this look in her eye that told me she was craving for control and blood. She wanted to believe that I was hurt by the fact that she'd been with other men after me. The fact of the matter was, she was with other men while she was _with _me. "He was a very strong, athletic boy. He was quite handsome, too, if I may add."

I rolled my eyes. "We slaughtered his parents and I thought the man I was with had killed him as well, but he didn't. I came into his room and found him breathing, barely alive. He was willing to do anything to survive and we struck a deal. If I allowed him to live, he would return the favor, doing whatever I asked of him."

I closed my eyes after hearing this. He and Vestara were more alike than they realized. Both of their lives had been ruined by this thing and their fates had been doomed as a result of her deeds. I guess that's why they were both so taken with each other. He knew how evil Padme had been and how much Vestara needed him as well as how much he needed her.

Padme's laughter brought me back to the harsh reality that I'd tried so hard to escape from. She began to laugh as she thought about the countless lives, including me, that she'd ruined.

I blurred closer to her and snarled as I pulled her hands forward, listening to the beautiful sounds of her screams as the wooden pieces dug themselves into her wrists.

**POV: Dean Lexington**

I laid Vestara down onto her bed and stroked her knuckles as she slept. She looked like an angel. Our race was supposedly demonic, but I just couldn't fathom how people could think that. She looked so… _peaceful, _so _beautiful._

After a few hours, she finally woke up and opened her beautiful eyes. "Hey," she whispered, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Hey."

I lay down beside her and she scooted closer to me until we were chest to chest. "How long was I out?"

"Just a few hours, my sweet," I whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Is everything okay?" She sat up a little and gave me a confused look.

I sat up with her. "Everything's fine, Vestara."

"Can we be honest with each other?" she asked, sounding pained by whatever was plaguing her mind. I gave her a curious look.

"Well," I paused. "There _is _something that you should know about me, Vestara."

I pulled her against me and she sighed contently. "What's that?"

I sighed and slowly began to explain my current situation and about the tragedy my family faced. She listened intently and, even after I told her about my deal with Padme, she _still _said she loved me.

"I have something for you," I whispered.

"What?"

I got off of the bed and rummaged through my pack, searching crazily for the weapon my father used to tell me would belong to me in the future. I smiled when I felt it. I pulled out an arrow gun and handed it to her. She took it in her delicate fingers and I showed her how to shoot and reload it quickly.

"I love it," she whispered. She glanced up at me. "Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you giving it to me?"

"Because," I began. "If one of these arrows strikes a vampire's head or heart, it _can _kill them."

She attached it to her belt and promised me that it would never leave her sight as long as Padme was still alive. That, I did not doubt.

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

I sighed as I waited for Obi-Wan to finish his negotiations with the Queen. She didn't agree with Obi-Wan's methods of ridding the planet of its terror. He told her that she would have to give the people time to grow from the experience if they'd seen or heard about anything that had happened recently.

I turned around and began to walk through the hallway of the palace, glancing at the beautiful carpet that lined the floors. My comlink began to beep and I closed my eyes, answering it.

"Tano."

"_So no special greeting for me?_"

I could hear the teasing tone in his voice and I smiled. I glanced over my shoulder. "Hey, sweetheart."

"_You're getting better. Hello, my love._"

"I miss you…"

"_I miss you more._"

"Want to holocall?"

He laughed lightly. "_That depends on how badly you want to see me._"

"How badly do _you _want to see _me?_" I teased, smiling as I raised an eye marking.

"_Initiating holocall._"

Moments later, his holographic self appeared on my wrist. I smiled at him and he smiled back. "_Ah, just as beautiful as I remember._"

"I've only been gone for a few hours."

"_You've been gone for almost a day, little one._"

I rolled my eyes. "Only you would keep track. How's everything there?"

"_Fine, I suppose._"

I frowned and his eyes widened slightly. "_Everything's great, Ahsoka. Vestara and Dean –_"

"I want to know how _you _are doing."

He bit his lip and sighed. "_Not so well. For starters, I don't have you to cuddle up with right now. It doesn't make me feel any better to have this witch in the temple._"

I smiled weakly at him. "Well, I'll be home soon. Master Kenobi is still working things out…"

"_I take it things are a bit harder than expected?_"

"When aren't they?"

He sighed. "_Valid point._" He glanced over his shoulder. "_I have to go, Ahsoka. Vestara is getting a little out of hand._"

"I love you," I whispered, staring sadly at the hologram.

"_And I love you. Please, be careful. I want you to come home to me in one piece…_"

"I will, Anakin. I promise. You take care of yourself, okay? I want a sane vampire to return home to."

He smirked and blew me a kiss on the hologram. I returned it and we both smiled before ending the transmission.


	26. Training

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Ahsoka and I sat in the training room, observing Vestara practicing with her brand new weapon that she'd received from Dean earlier. She hadn't stopped training with it since the moment Dean left to hunt.

The training center that three of us were in was _enormous._ It was made up of pale, white tiles and there were edges jutting out of the walls that were used as a climbing course. The only problem with those walls were that they had built in blasters shooting at you the entire time.

The Council finally agreed that they were going to tear it down in a few weeks because it had become too hazardous, so no clones came near it for fear of their lives.

Vestara skillfully shot the droids that popped out of the wall. Dean entered the training section she was in and they discussed a little routine for extra practice.

Ahsoka and I sat behind a large, glass window together. She was _happy _because the Council had allowed us and Vestara and Dean to fall in love. They told us that it was secret, however, because they didn't want the rest of the Order to think they had free reign over the rules. They made an… _exception _for the vampires though.

Vestara shot at the blasters as Dean dodged their blasts while climbing up the wall. Quite a few blasts came _dangerously _close to hitting him. I warned Vestara of the anti-vampire blaster bullets, but she didn't seem to care all that much.

Some of the clones had… _superstitions _and thus believed that we were vampires. They had no idea how true those superstitions were.

Ahsoka squeezed my hand gently and I looked down at her, smiling. "Are you all right, Anakin?"

I leaned closer to her and kissed her nose. "I'm perfect," I whispered, intertwining our fingers.

She giggled and leaned against my left arm. "No doubt about it."

"Oh, hush," I teased.

She tilted her face towards mine and I kissed her lips lightly. I listened to her heart beat rapidly and skip a beat every now and then. I loved the way I made her feel.

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

The way I shot became very… _instinctual._ I was blasting as much as I possibly could before resorting to the process of reloading.

I knelt down, hiding behind the wall to reload. I heard the sound of glass shattering and crashing against the durasteel wall. I became alert until my vision became clouded with smoke. I couldn't even see my own hands in front of my face.

"Let me go!" Dean shouted from across the training area.

"Shut up," a cold, yet unfamiliar, voice demanded in hushed tones.

I stumbled forward as the sounds of struggling began. I didn't blur anywhere because I couldn't see _anything _in front of me. I heard Anakin and Dean growl as I finally found something and felt my way up the wall, climbing towards the top.

As I was about to reach the top, the smoke cleared just enough for me to see a hooded figure with their hand over Dean's mouth, holding him against their chest. Judging by the way their body was shaped, I assumed it was a female.

"This is going to hurt." Yep. Definitely a woman.

I cocked my eyebrows as the smoke thickened again. A dark boot came out of the smoke and slammed against my face. I had been stunned by the sudden movement and released my hold on the wall, falling to the durasteel floor.

As I hit the ground, my head began to throb and my eyes began to close. I could faintly hear Dean muffling something that sounded like my name.

I couldn't bring myself to move or think straight.

My vision darkened and I was lost.

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

I coughed violently as Anakin carried me through the smoke. Someone had attacked him as well as Dean and Vestara. He set me down once we were on the training ground. He told me he heard something fall and he was concerned.

He was completely frustrated with the fact that he couldn't see anything at all. He took my hand and led me through the smoke as it began to lift. Anakin stopped suddenly and I bumped into him. He gaped at the body lying before us. It was _Vestara._

Her eyes were closed and her lips were parted slightly. Blood was dripping into the floor from her mouth and the back of her head.

The smoke completely faded away as he knelt beside her body. He was trembling as he held her against his chest. I barely heard him whisper, "Oh, Force, not _now. Please_… not now…"

I stood behind him and rested my hands on his shaking shoulders. Tears were streaming down my face until Vestara began to cough. He relaxed beneath my hands and lifted her up as he stood. He gave me a look and I nodded at him quickly.

He blurred away from me and I began to run in his general direction. I knew he'd take her to the medbay, so that was where I would meet him.

Once I entered the medbay, I saw Vestara lying on the medical bed with med droids surrounding her.His eyes met mine and I silently begged for him to relax.

He extended his hand towards me and I quickly moved to take it. We stood there for several minutes, watching the droids work, before he finally decided to relax.

He took a seat not too far from where the droids and Vestara were. I sat in his lap and he circled his arms around me, kissing my shoulder gently.

His worry rolled off of him in waves even as I gently stroked his jaw line.

After an hour of silently expressing our love while Vestara was unconscious, the droids finally told us that she would be all right. Anakin sighed once the droid informed us of her stable condition. The droid said she'd probably be up in a few hours.

I stared up at Anakin's relieved face and leaned against his shoulder. "Okay, little one," he whispered. "Let's go for a bit."

I lifted myself off of him as he unwound his arms from my body. He took my hand in his and we slowly walked back to the dorm. "How are you doing?" I whispered, glancing at him.

He rubbed my hand with his thumb slowly. "I'm okay, love. I'm just glad she's all right."

"I am, too."

He was silent as we reached the door to our dorm. He paused outside of it and it didn't appear as though he could walk any further. "Anakin?"

I was able to separate my hand from his without him moving or saying anything at all. I shook him a little and he growled, turning on me. I jumped back and whimpered a little.

He stared at me with blood red eyes for a few moments before they became a golden coloring. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, reaching out for me.

I was slightly afraid, but I didn't want him to think I was upset with him. I threw myself at him and hugged him tightly. "It's okay." My palms were pressed against his upper back, nearly reaching his shoulder blades. "Will you tell me what's wrong?"

He sighed and returned my embrace with as much tightness as he could without worrying about breaking my bones. "What happened to Vestara is really bothering me."

I listened to his faint heartbeat and closed my eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I always felt awkward when I asked him that. It was like asking your father if you wanted to talk about something in his personal life. Anakin is my lover, but he's so much older than me. He just gives off that vibe.

His chin rested over my shoulder and I felt him nod slowly. "If you're willing to listen."

"Always," I whispered.

He slowly separated himself from me and I lowered my hands to his, taking them in mine. I stared up at his face and squeezed his hands. "Vestara is family to me. Do you have any siblings?"

"I had a brother," I whispered. "He died before I could really remember him…"

He gave me an apologetic look and I smiled at him. "Don't worry about it. Like I said, I don't remember him very well. Go on with what you were saying."

"I had no siblings as a human," he said with a sigh. "At first, I suppose I could have considered you my sister, but look how that turned out. Vestara, however, has formed a family-like bond with me. She _is _like a sister to me. She's _my_ little sister. My heart hurts when something happens to her."

"I understand how you feel. I've had friends that were like siblings to me as well. It was before I came here though. A friend of mine died and I couldn't get over her death for a long time."

He lifted his left hand and stroked my cheek gently, staring into my eyes. "Did you have that feeling like it was your entire fault?"

"Yes."

"I hate feeling this way," he whispered. "I know I'm not responsible, but I can't help feeling like I am. What am I supposed to do?"

It was scary how _helpless _and _desperate _he sounded. I leaned against him, closing my eyes, and listened to his heart once again. "The feeling will never go away. It's a part of you. You care a lot."

I felt his hand rest on my back. His fingers curled over my left side, holding the curve. His right hand still held my left, however. His breath caught and I opened my eyes. "Anakin?"

I pulled back and he swept me up into his arms, blurring into the dorm. Before I realized what was happening, I was lying on my back. He was above me with a beautiful smile. "What –"

"Shh," he whispered. He lowered himself towards me. His stomach pressed against mine and his arms rested beside mine. His fingers roamed over my cheekbones. I closed my eyes and my lips parted.

He knew how to take my breath away. I was jealous of that. He could do something so simple and make me feel amazing while I could do _nothing _to please him. The only thing I could offer him was my blood. Even then, if he took too much, he would depress himself.

His lips pressed against mine so softly that I almost didn't feel them until he began to move. I lifted my hands to his neck and rubbed his skin, moving towards his hair that I would soon tangle my fingers in.

I moved my legs out from underneath him and bent them at his sides. Chills ran through me as my back arched off of the mattress. His right hand slid behind me, holding me against him.

My legs draped around his waist as we continued to kiss. I was a bit surprised when a sudden pressure hit my lower half. He made a painful sound and we separated, panting.

"What was that?" I whispered.

He completely shifted himself away from me and I saw the embarrassed look on his face as he rested his mechanical hand over the area between his legs and held his head in his other hand. I raised my eye markings at him as his eyes closed.

After several moments of silence, he finally opened his eyes and looked at me. "What?" he whispered. "It can still happen…"

I giggled. "Don't be ashamed of it, Anakin."

"I just don't want you to think –"

I pressed my hand against his mouth. "Now you shh."

I pulled my hand away to see him smile weakly at me. "Trust me, Anakin. If I thought you were always like _that_, I probably wouldn't have fallen in love with you. I don't care if _that _happens."

"It's every time I see you," he whispered. "So, in essence, I _and_ my body are always happy to see you."

I giggled again and he leaned closer, kissing me once more.

After a few moments, our lips separated and lingered near each other's. I could feel his cool breath on my skin as he breathed. "I love you."

I quickly kissed him. "I love you," I whispered to him.


	27. Misery

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

I woke up to the sound of soothing breathing and the feeling of it on my rear lek. I smiled before even considering opening my eyes. His arm was draped over my side and I held his hand. I rubbed his glove with my thumb.

He moaned a little before I felt warm kisses planting themselves on my rear lek. "Good morning, my beautiful Togruta."

"Good morning, my handsome vampire."

I let go of his hand for a moment and rolled over, smiling up at him. "How'd you sleep, Anakin?"

It felt wonderful to sleep beside him. I felt warm, protected, and _loved._ He rested his hand on my right side, rubbing slowly. "It was great."

"Oh?"

He kissed me quickly, smiling afterwards. "It's not every day that I'm privileged to sleep beside the love of my life."

I scooted closer, hugging him against me tighter. I closed my eyes again and smiled wider. "I love you, Ahsoka," he whispered.

"And I love you."

He tensed up moments before loud crashes erupted from a room not too far from our dorm. I assumed that it was the medbay and that the person throwing things was Vestara. I jumped a little and he held me comfortingly. "It's just Vestara."

"What's wrong?" I felt stupid for asking that because I knew the answer already. All he had to do was tell me that I was right.

"She knows that Dean is gone."

"Do you want to go talk to her?"

"I don't _want _to, but, if I don't, she'll destroy the medbay. Would you mind staying here? If you go near her, she might kill you."

"She's dangerous. What if you –?"

"I'm _much _stronger than her," he said with a chuckle. "She doesn't stand a chance against me in a fight."

Him saying that didn't make me feel any better about the situation. He sat up and kissed me once, rubbing my neck briefly. After he thought the loving moment was over, he blurred out of the dorm. The blanket was thrown out of place and covered my body entirely.

I sighed and rested my head on his pillow. _Vampires._

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

I was truly upset after the realization of Dean's absence hit me. I knew he was gone before I'd blacked out and I knew in my dream state as well, but I didn't know who took him from me. I was determined to find out.

Naturally, I thought Padme took him, but then I remembered that she was chained to a wall in one of the temple's heavily vampire-proofed cells.

I sat back down on the medical bed and tried to relax. I tried to picture Dean's smile instead of his horrific stare and I tried to hear his soothing voice instead of the muffled sounds he'd made.

One of the annoying medical droids interrupted my thoughts. "You are free to go, but you should take it easy for the next few days."

_Days. _I nodded, got up, and grabbed my robe from the chair in the corner of the room. I exited the medbay and practically stumbled as I walked back to the dormitory. My head was throbbing and I was still _very _dizzy.

Anakin blurred in front of me, giving me a very concerned and sympathetic look. I _really _didn't need that from _him _at the moment. "I'm fine," I muttered, brushing past him.

I blurred towards my dorm and he came with me, stopping me. "No. You're _not._"

I moved him aside with the Force and walked into the dorm. I rolled my eyes since my back was to him. I made my way over to my bed and sat down. I stared at the floor for a moment before his scent hit me like a wall. I stared up at him and saw how bad he looked. Blood tainted his normally clean scent.

"I see you visited Padme."

He didn't respond, instead, choosing to sit down beside me, staring at the wall across the room. "What did she say to you?"

He sighed in frustration and shook his head. "Vestara, I don't think I should –"

I cut him off abruptly. "No!" I whispered, standing and moving to stand in front of him. "You tell me what she said right _now._"

He sighed and cast his gaze towards the floor. "She asked me how you were doing," he whispered. "And… she wanted…" He trailed off, almost as if he were regretting his words before speaking them. "She wanted me to ask you if you regretted the moment when I gave you the locket."

I sat down beside him again and stared at the floor as he was. So Padme had lent a hand in the capture of Dean. I mulled over his words for a few minutes and realized that I did _almost _regret getting my memories back. "Vestara," he whispered.

"I need to be alone," I said quickly, turning aside. I couldn't look at him right now because I knew how much he could hurt himself.

His eyes were on me for a few moments before I felt the bed rise and heard him blur out of the room, followed by the whooshing of the closing door.

Tears instantly began to stream down my cheeks as he slammed his fist against a wall in another room. He wasn't mad at _me._ He was mad at _Padme._ I listened to Ahsoka trying to calm him down, reassuring him with her loving words.

He was silent as she whispered things that were wonderful about him, things that she loved in him. I was stunned by how in love with him she was, but I understood it all the same. He trusted her so much with himself and he eventually opened up to her. So many things were taking an emotional toll on him.

I heard the bed springs move a bit as they laid down beside each other and relaxed.

Shortly afterwards, they were asleep. I understood how quickly you could fall asleep once you felt secure and loved…

I'd finally stopped crying, so I left my dorm and blurred to Padme's cell. I stood outside and stared at the door hatefully. "Ah, hello, _child._"

I snarled and growled through my teeth as my hatred began to consume me. She was pushing my limits and we _both _knew that. "Poor, little Dean. He's dead because Anakin Skywalker returned your memories." She chuckled and continued on. "You know, if he hadn't given you your memories back, you and Dean would be happier and _together._"

"Stop," I whispered, shutting my eyes tightly.

"By the Force, you are such a pathetic –"

I lunged at the door with my fangs bared, but two strong arms wrapped around my waist and stopped me. "No!" I screamed. "Let me _go!_"

Anakin slammed me against the wall and I found myself facing Padme's cell once again. He looked at me with sad, blue eyes as tears rolled down my cheeks. "Vestara –"

"No!"

He grabbed my entire body and blurred back to my dorm. He sat on my bed, holding me in his lap. He stroked my hair in an attempt to calm me down. I buried my face into his chest and continued to cry. "Hurting her will _not _help Dean," he whispered.

In response, I sobbed much harder.

**POV: Dean Lexington**

I had been dragged into a deserted warehouse in the absolute _worst _part of Coruscant. I had been gagged and bound for _hours._ My hands were cuffed behind me by drain chains and I could now understand how Anakin felt after he'd been captured by Padme.

_Padme._ I had no idea who had taken me, but I only assumed that she was behind it in some way. She always had her nose in everything and got into everyone's business.

The door of the barren room opened and a hooded woman entered. She stalked over to me slowly and I had a very bad feeling about this. She finally stopped in front of me and pulled my gag down slowly. "Hello, Dean. Do you remember me?"

"No," I whispered.

"Well, you _should._" She reached up to her hood and slid it back towards her shoulders. "After all, we used to make out all of the time."

She removed her hood and I saw the one person I'd hoped to _never _see again. It was Ali Manec, my _ex_-girlfriend. "Al-Ali," I whispered.

"Oh, good," she smiled. "You _do _remember. I mean, after all, you left _me _for dead. That is, until Padme found me."

I stared at her in terror as she smiled just as Padme had. "And now you're going to _pay._"

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

_Clank._

My eyes snapped open and I looked in the direction of the refresher. Since Anakin left, I'd been all alone in my room. That must have been _hours _ago.

The light in the refresher was on and I sensed the woman who had kidnapped Dean. I lunged off of my bed and blurred into the tiny room.

I threw my arms out in an attempt to grab her, but she jumped into one of the vents in the ceiling. The vent was supposed to be there, but it wasn't. I jumped and grabbed onto her ankle. She grunted as I tried to use her and pull myself up after her.

I saw a pair of big, brown eyes turn and glare at me. Her hood fell backwards and she had red hair as well as freckles. Her blood red lips stood out the most, however. "What did you do to Dean?" I screamed, not releasing her ankle.

She twisted her body so that her hand was inches above my arm. "I left you a HoloPad, you little _sleemo_," she growled.

I wanted to say something much more derogatory, but her nails dug into my arms and began to peel my skin. I cried out as I fell to the ground. I glanced up to see the vent slam back into place and hear the footsteps getting further away.

A door opened in the main bedroom and then the one to the refresher opened. Ahsoka appeared and quickly knelt beside me, raising an eye marking. I clutched my arm tightly in an attempt to stop the blood seeping out of it. "What happened?"

I quickly explained everything that had just happened here and she gasped quietly. "Do you want me to go get Anakin?"

I felt for the Force signature of the girl that had attacked me. I couldn't feel it, so it was already too late for him to help me. I shook my head and tried to force a smile. "No, but if you got me some bacta, I believe that would help."

She smiled quickly, standing up to leave the room. A few minutes later, she came back with a bacta pack and reached out for my arm. I flinched, shying away, and growled at her without thinking about it.

She jumped back and I heard Anakin growl in the room beside mine. So he _was _listening. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I forgot about…"

She was probably referring to the whole '_revenge_' thing on my arm. I just shook my head and stepped closer to her. "I overreacted. I do that a _lot._"

She carefully placed the bacta on my arm and I winced a bit. There was a bit of pain as the bacta began to course through the wound, but that pain slowly turned into relief.

Ahsoka wrapped a bandage around my arm and offered to stay in the room with me. "No, it's okay," I whispered. "Right now, you're probably safer with Anakin. I think you'd better stay with him. What's he doing anyway?"

"He's cleaning up a mess he made while he was upset." I heard her mutter '_idiot_' under her breath and he chuckled. "I'll see you later, Vestara."

I nodded and she left me. I reentered the refresher, scanning quickly for the HoloPad. It was in the bathtub and the screen was cracked here and there, but it still worked _just _fine.

I lifted it with the Force and walked back towards my bed, sliding across it until my back was against the wall. I hit the play button and images began to play on the screen.

Dean appeared with his hands tied behind a chair he was sitting on. His shirt had long slits in it where scars had formed on his chest. He was _bleeding._ His chin was on his chest and his eyes were closed.

The door opened and the girl that scratched me came into view. Dean jumped as she began to speak. "_Hello, sweetheart._"

Dean glared at her silently as she sat on his lap. She put her legs on either side of his waist and wrapped her arms around his neck. He growled as their bodies came closer and relaxed against each other.

"_Oh, someone's being a little feisty,_" she teased.

It sickened me to think about how much she reminded me of Padme. "_I'm making a video of you for your girlfriend. Have you got anything you want to say to her?_"

"_I hope she kicks your –_"

She smacked him across the face and her hands moved to the back of the chair. She took her time sliding her hands down his arms. I heard a small click and Dean's face went _white._

She continued to stare at him and he swallowed. "_Say it._"

"_No._"

"_I know you still love me._"

"_I used to, Ali. I used to._"

I couldn't see her face, but I knew she was angry. Her fingers moved to intertwined with Dean's and pulled them down. My chest tightened as he screamed. I could hear Anakin's painful screams echoing along with his. I hated to hear either of them scream and I knew that this was the worst form of torture for us. She kissed his lips, muffling him.

His legs kicked out and he tried to stop what was happening. She let him go after she was done with him, which lasted for nearly two minutes. "_I bet your girlfriend never kissed you like that._"

I broke the HoloPad, crushing it in my palm. I crumpled it up into a glass and durasteel ball, dropping it onto the floor. That was _it._

I was going to _kill _her.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Vestara had gone off on Padme not too long ago. I forced her to calm down through compulsion. After I made sure she was asleep, I blurred down to Padme's cell. She and I had a _few _things to clear up.

She laughed at me as I appeared and I glared in return. "What's the matter, Ani? Did you have a rough night?" She was laughing hysterically as she stared at me.

I blurred closer to her, standing directly in front of her. She didn't even _flinch._ "I _know _you did something to him," I growled.

She chuckled, shaking her head. "I have been in _here _since you captured me. I haven't left _once _and you know that."

I scanned her face and feelings, finding nothing to indicate the fact that she was lying. Then again, I knew how good of a liar she could be. I'd fallen for it so many times in the past and I wasn't about to do it again. "I stand by my thinking. You had something to do with it."

"Are you so sure that it's _you _that's thinking that?"

I cocked an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean?"

"I think you're going along with Vestara's suspicions instead of your own logic. Speaking of that brat, she seemed pretty upset when she came to visit me. I take it you gave her my message?" She smirked at me and that sent me over the edge.

I grabbed her vest and slammed her against the wall, fangs sliding into view. "Do _not _speak to her again. She _hates _you. She is _done _with you as I am," I growled.

"Are you sure, Ani, that sheis mad at _me?_ I mean, technically, this is all _your _fault. You're the reason she's living in misery."

"I'm _done _with you," I whispered. I spun around abruptly and began to leave. I left with whatever was left of my self esteem, knowing that, deep down, she was probably right. Vestara probably _did _hate _me._

"That _may _be true, but I am certainly not finished with you, Anakin Skywalker," she called out after me.

I exited the cell and closed the door behind me. I closed my eyes and sighed before turning to face Vestara. "How much did you hear?" I whispered.

Her eyes fell to the floor. "All of it."

"I thought you were asleep." My voice sounded apologetic and I didn't like that. I knew I had to be sorry for ruining her life, but I hadn't made her stay. She chose to stay at my side and we've grown closer.

I sat beside her as she shrugged. We both avoided eye contact with each other. "Can we go back to the dorm and talk?" I watched her glare at the door in front of us for a few moments. I didn't feel very comfortable sitting with her when that monster was within eyesight.

"Yeah." She began to stand up as I did.

We walked back to her dorm in complete silence. She blurred over to her bed and curled into a ball on top of it. I blurred over to her and sat beside her. "When you went down to Padme's cell…" I trailed off. "Before I dragged you away, that is, what did she say?"

She looked up at me. "_Look._ You and I _both _know you don't want to hear –"

"What did she say?" I ground out, growling through my teeth.

She hesitated before answering. "She said that Dean is going to die because you returned my memories. She said that it's all of your fault…"

I stared at her as she continued to avoid my gaze. I felt so _guilty._ I was beginning to convince myself that I was at fault for all of this. "Vestara," I whispered. "I am _so _sorry. I don't know what else to –"

I stopped when she sat up and wrapped her arms around my waist. I stroked her hair gently as I returned the embrace. "Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" she whispered.

I nodded, lying down beside her. She buried her face into my chest and I held her against me tightly. As she began to drift off, several things ran through my mind.

I wondered if this was how a big brother would take care of his little sister.


	28. The Monster Within

**POV: Third Person**

Ali entered Padme's cell with a mysterious package beneath her arm. Padme straightened up and glared at her. "Where is Vestara's little friend?"

"Tied up nice and tight. Do you want me to release you yet? I'm getting sick and tired of waiting for his girlfriend to make her move!"

"Patience," Padme hissed, glaring much more effectively. "I need their trail of suspects to grow cold. Give them a false sense of security and, when their guard is down, you can earn your freedom. Afterwards, you'll _never _have to see me again.

She swallowed audibly. Ali was unsure of the situation at hand, but managed to brush off her negative feelings. "Now, be a good girl and deliver the package. Afterwards, you can go home to your ex-boyfriend." Ali turned away, but Padme continued. "And, if I may say so myself, the tape you sent Vestara was _evilly good._"

Ali nodded silently before lurching up into the ventilation system. She crawled through towards Vestara's room, dropping a tiny gas bomb to the floor with a small thud. She began to crawl away, but a bottle of alcohol that was now empty fell to the floor. Her heart was racing as she moved away from the vent, watching Vestara sit up in her bed.

Ali made sure to keep quiet as Vestara glanced around the room quickly before allowing herself to go back to sleep. Ali sighed in relief before moving onto the next room. She peered through the vent to see Anakin and Ahsoka sleeping side by side on one bed. She shook her head before dropping another tiny gas bomb into their room.

Her final destination was Obi-Wan Kenobi's dormitory.

Once she had finished plaguing all three rooms, she left the Temple. She could faintly hear the bombs burst and the spread of the gas as she became further away from the Temple. The gas was to heighten the worst fears of those who inhaled it.

And that's _exactly _what it did.

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

I opened my eyes after hearing the beautiful sounds of birds and such around me. I found myself on Naboo. I was lying on a beautiful, silk bed. I felt… _wonderful._ I didn't feel hungry or thirsty which seemed odd. I only assumed that I was dreaming now.

As I woke up further, I realized that I was _full._ I was still a vampire. I looked above my and realized that this wasn't the room I'd had when I was last on Naboo. This was very… _extravagant._

The bed had drapes on it that were lined with golden strings, enhancing the beauty. The room was also painted in a light gold coloring, nearly appearing as though it were beige. Pictures were hung at random on the walls and one in particular stood out.

There was a little girl in a long-sleeved dress with light, brown hair. There was a bow at the top of her head and her skin was very pale as she sat on a chair. Her parents stood behind her and resembled mine very distinctly.

I sighed before sitting up. I looked over and expected the area to be completely vacant. I was surprised to see Dean lying down with his eyes closed beside me.

"Dean!" I exclaimed in joy, immediately wrapping my arms around him. My body crashed against his warm chest and I felt happy.

"Whoa," he whispered. "It's nice to see you, too, Ves," he said groggily.

"You… You're back," I whispered.

"I never left," he said with a laugh. "I think you might have had a little _too _much to drink last night, love."

I was going to tell him about Ali and everything else, but I chose not to ruin this moment. I knew I'd eventually wake up to the harsh reality, so I chose to enjoy myself. I rested my head on his chest and heard his smile in his laugh.

"You should go get dressed. Your coronation is in a few hours."

"What?" I asked incredulously, sitting up to stare at him.

"Yeah. Geez, Ves. What did you do? Did you hit your head?" He shook his head, smiling weakly at me. "I'm sure it'll heal up after the party tonight."

"Okay," I said slowly.

"I'll see you then." He immediately blurred away from me, leaving me alone.

I got up and slowly walked into the refresher. It, too, was very extravagant. It was also very _overdone. _The sinks were solid golden and shaped like seashells. The toilets were silver and the bathtub had water jets. The shower was a gigantic crystal box. It even had a full body _drier! _I sighed as I looked into a mirror.

I noticed a closet behind me. There were beautiful doors that reached up to the ceiling. It must have been at least twenty feet high! I sighed and turned, walking over to it. I grasped the glass doorknob and opened it slowly.

As soon as I opened it, I saw a beautiful dress with a crown on a small shelf. The crown was jet black with red diamonds weaved into it. The dress was identical. Red designs splattered it, however. The sleeves were short and see-through. They fluttered on my shoulders and the bottom had ripples leading in zigzags up to the bow at my waist.

I looked over my shoulder as Ahsoka came in. "You're going to be late, Miss," she whispered.

I chuckled. "Since when have you called me 'Miss'?"

I watched her face contort into a look of confusion and my eyebrows furrowed. "Ah-Ahsoka, it's me. It's Vestara. We were at the Jedi Temple together. Don't you remember?" I asked quickly, turning to face her completely.

"I'm not allowed to talk about the Jedi Temple," she whispered. "I'm just here to get you to your ceremony."

I was going to respond, but she walked towards the door and opened it for me. We walked in complete silence as she led me through the palace and into a beautiful throne room. The room was full of humanoids and my throat began to burn _intensely. _I nearly gasped in pain.

Dean was at my side and held his arm out, smiling at me. I took it, sliding my hand beneath his arm, holding the crook of it. As we walked, the people in the aisles stood up. I felt their fear washing out of them in massive waves. It scared me in a way.

I glanced ahead of me, gaping at the throne. I immediately stopped and looked at Dean. "What's Padme doing here?" I whispered.

"She's your mother and the Queen of Naboo. My guess is that she's giving you her crown." I could hear the sarcasm and laughter in his voice. He had _no idea _what was going on!

He walked me up to the throne and I sat down. Padme snapped her fingers while smiling at me. Anakin came forward, standing beside her. A shock collar was around his neck as he gently placed the crown on my head.

Padme smiled wickedly at him before turning towards the crowd. "Refreshments will be held in the dining area as a celebration for your _new _Queen!" she called out, smiling widely.

The guest smiled despite their fear and walked out into the hall. Dean wrapped his arm around my waist as I got up. "And now, my love, it's _dinnertime_."

I let Dean pull me into the dining hall where the guests had crowded themselves. Padme came in and looked at the door. The room itself was filled with roughly fifty or so people and my throat continued to burn. "Where's dinner?" someone asked.

"I'm looking at it," Padme snarled, laughing hysterically.

She and Dean lunged at the guests, causing chaos. Everyone was screaming one moment and dead in the next. My throat burned so horribly that I couldn't stand here and watch anymore. I joined in, drinking twelve people dry before running out of the room.

I sat down abruptly, putting my hands over my ears as I closed my eyes. "Wake up!" I screamed.

I heard Dean's voice despite having my hands over my ears. "What are you doing? This isn't a dream, Ves," he said, laughing.

"Wake up!" I screamed once again, my voice piercing my ears.

Moments later, I was awake in a cold sweat, gasping for breath.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I faintly remembered being in a room like this when I was younger. It was a dimly lit motel room on Tatooine. The paint on the walls were cracked and peeling all over. In some places, I was able to see the wood beneath the paint. I glanced at the holoscreen in front of me. There was some annoying show with two aliens that rambled on and on about nothing of importance.

I heard someone moan beside me and I felt an arm on my bare chest. I turned my head, expecting to see my lovely, little Togruta.

"Hello, Ani. Did you enjoy last night?" a cold voice whispered.

I looked down, horrified, to see Padme sleeping next to me. She smiled as I practically fell off of the bed in an attempt to get away from her. "Get away from me!" I shouted.

"Ani, what are you doing?" she asked, giving me a curious look. "You overdid it last night, didn't you?"

I raised an eyebrow, unsure of what she was talking about. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me," she snapped, rolling her eyes.

She blurred off of the bed and into the refresher. The smell of blood burned my nostrils like you wouldn't believe. I gasped as I felt my body craving the blood. I knew my eyes had become red and my fangs were sliding into my mouth.

Rex and _Ahsoka's _bodies fell to the floor. They were both _dead._ Ahsoka's eyes stared into my soul, piercing right through me as they refused to blink. Blood was trailing down her neck and over her chest and lekku.

"You didn't save me any," Padme whined beside me.

"Ah-Ahsoka," I gasped, my eyes widening in horror.

Padme scoffed as I moved closer to Ahsoka's body. "You can't feel _too _bad about it, considering she cheated on you for him."

I stared at her in disbelief. There was _no way._

I woke up, lurching into an upright position as I gasped crazily. Ahsoka woke up beside me, startled, staring up at him. She quickly put her hands on either side of my face. "Anakin? Anakin, it was just a dream, okay? Nothing more," she whispered.

I reached my hand up to hers, holding it against my cheek as I closed my eyes. I tried to even out my breathing, knowing that it would be difficult. I couldn't get her scent or her cold, dead eyes out of my mind…

"I've _never _seen you _this _upset. What happened?" she whispered.

I opened my eyes, staring into hers. "I-I k-killed you. I joined Padme. She… She said I killed you. You cheated on me…" I paused. "For _Rex._ Ahsoka, I s-saw your body. I –"

"Hey," she whispered, interrupting me. I was grateful for her interruption. I hated rambling on like this. "I love you and _only _you. Nothing and no one will ever change the way I feel about you, Anakin. Just relax, okay?"

We leaned forward at the same time, briefly brushing our lips against each others for a passionate kiss. She rubbed my chest before gently pushing me onto the pillow.

I stared into her eyes as she rubbed my neck and shoulder. "Go back to sleep, Anakin."

I rested my hand on the curve of her side and kissed her again. She smiled at me once we pulled away. "I love you, Anakin."

I sighed and closed my eyes. She gently pulled me against her and I gratefully moved. I pressed my ear against her chest, listening to her beautiful heartbeat.

**POV: Obi-Wan Kenobi**

I was in the bright Mandalorian sun. The palace windows were gleaming brightly, nearly blinding me. Screaming was erupting from every direction and I was running against a crowd of Satine's loyal subjects.

I was _towards _the screams, not away from them. I grabbed a palace guard and stopped him. "What's going on?" I demanded, nearly out of breath.

"A Sith," he gasped. "In the throne room!" He had given me enough information, so I released him and he ran from me.

I ran faster than my legs wanted to carry me in the direction of the throne room. I burst through the beautiful doors to see a face that had haunted my nightmares for _many _years. He was _choking _Satine.

"Master Kenobi," it seethed. His eyes glowed with a burning hatred and his skin looked just as it had as he fell to his death on Naboo after slaying my Master…

"Let her go," I grinded out slowly, demanding him as best I could while out of breath.

He cackled maniacally, smiling evilly. "As you wish."

He threw her up into the air and several snaps echoed in the hall as she hit the ceiling and fell to the floor. My heart sank and my stomach churned.

I ran to her and held her in my arms tightly, whispering words that were too jumbled to comprehend. I slowed down long enough to whisper, "Satine, stay with me, please…"

She lifted her frozen fingers to my face, stroking my beard while smiling weakly. "Obi… I… I love… you..."

Her eyes rolled back into her head and her head fell back as her body went limp in my arms. "Satine," I whispered in disbelief.

Maul laughed from the top of the throne. He had taken _everything _from me. He took my Master and my love.

"Always so weak," he cackled, shaking his head crazily.

I had had enough. I gently laid Satine onto the linoleum floor and lunged up at him, catching him off guard. He managed to get his lightsaber out in time, but I had been quicker and I wouldn't let him distract me.

I quickly sliced at his arms and legs, feeling satisfied as he fell to the floor. His lightsaber clattered about the floor nearby. "I surrender," he whispered as I held my lightsaber to his throat.

"_Too late_," I growled.

I shoved my lightsaber through his throat without thinking.

I woke with a start and quickly scanned my room. I pressed my palm to my forehead and sighed, feeling the sweat dripping down my face.

This was one nightmare that I couldn't shrug off…


	29. To the Rescue

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

I woke up again and realized that I was all alone in my own room. Thoughts ran through my mind quickly and I couldn't comprehend a single one. I walked into the refresher and sighed. _Wonderful._ I _still _had no idea where Dean was and I still had no idea where that girl had gone off to.

I walked towards the sink sleepily and heard my something break beneath my boots. I moved my foot aside and saw an empty bottle that had originally been filled with some alcoholic beverage. I never drank anything, so it clearly wasn't mine.

I knelt down and saw the label beneath the shattered shards of glass. I lifted it and saw the name of the bar it came from. I sniffed it and closed my eyes. My attacker was stupid to have dropped this in here.

I recognized the smell only because, while I was still Padme's daughter, we had visited the bar and patrolled many streets for people that smelled like this.

I tried to recall every last detail from our tip into the '_deserted_' part of Coruscant. It wasn't really deserted, but no one, with the exception of bounty hunters and homeless people, went out there. There were a lot of vacant buildings in that part.

I felt a light bulb flicker above my head. _That's it!_ That must be where Dean is being kept! I put the label into my pocket and snuck out of my dorm as quietly as I possibly could. I blurred down to Padme's cell and nearly entered before a gust of wind blew behind me and I felt a decent amount of disappointment and anger.

"And what do _you _think you're doing?"

I mentally cursed myself. I had gotten caught. _How?_ "I told you _not _to go in there," he growled.

"Fine," I sighed, whipping around to face Anakin. His blue eyes glared directly into mine and he seemed to be able to control me with that look.

I stalked over to him and pulled the bottle label out of my pocket, slapping it against his chest. I held it there until he lifted his hand and took the label, reading it quickly. "Okay," he whispered, his eyebrows rising.

"That was in my room this morning." He gave me this 'so what' look and I sighed. "I don't drink, Anakin."

He looked at the door as Padme began to laugh. I didn't turn around. One thing I did _not _want was for her to feel the satisfaction of knowing she'd cornered me again. "Did you _finally _discover who took Vestara's little crush?" she taunted from behind the door.

I sniffed the air out of impulse and recognized the smell inside of the cell. I immediately threw the door open and saw the girl leaning up against the wall near Padme.

She lunged at me and slammed me against the wall, choking me as much as she could. I gagged and heard Anakin snarl. He quickly blurred inside and she was thrown off of me. Before he could rip her to shreds, she jumped up into the ventilation system and made her escape.

Padme was still chained in place. I rubbed my throat as Anakin looked at me. He checked me briefly before I nodded. He blurred out of the room, taking off to go make sure nothing had happened to Ahsoka. Boy, was he obsessed or what?

Shortly after he left, Padme smiled at me with the devilish look she always had. "You know, sweetheart, that the future is already written in stone. There is _nothing _you can do to stop it. He _will _die. It may not be today, it may not even be tomorrow, but you know it _will _happen. And, when it finally does, your doom will follow shortly after. I will be there to laugh through it all, knowing that it would end this way."

Anakin blurred back into the hallway and raised an eyebrow at me. I felt the color – whatever was left – in my face drain as I glared at this witch that had deemed herself my mother. She chuckled and Anakin growled loudly.

"You should go back to your dorm," he said angrily. "_I _will find out where Dean is."

"How?" I blurted out angrily as he pulled me out into the hallway and began to lead me away from Padme's cell.

"Don't you worry about that."

I stopped after we were a distance away from Padme's cell. We both knew that there was a certain range of hearing that Padme had and we abused that knowledge so we could speak privately. He eyed me sadly, knowing that I didn't want him to do anything himself. "Anakin, she's _destroying _you. You can't go back in there. Not alone, anyway."

I knew what I'd said was true. Every single time he went in there with her, he looked worse and worse upon exiting. He only looked this bad the first time we'd met on Padme's ship many months ago.

"I can handle it," he whispered, trying to sound sure of himself. He wasn't doing a very good job at convincing either of us. His eyes closed and he sighed.

"No," I whispered, not wanting to hurt him, but knowing that I needed to. "You really _can't._ She's toying with you. That's all she's –"

"I have handled it before. I'm fully aware of what she is doing, Vestara. I do _not _need you to give me a daily reminder of what she's doing."

"You _may _be fully aware of what she's doing, but she also knows all too well how worried you are about people you care about. She's finding new ways to hurt you, Anakin! Why do you think I said I didn't want her here? I don't want her to hurt you!"

I could see the disbelief subtly hiding behind his anger. "Go back to your dorm and _stay _there," he growled, grinding his teeth against each other.

"But –"

"_Now!_" he yelled. His voice had deepened and sounded much more dark and scary than I ever thought it could.

It hurt to upset him, but he needed to realize that he was putting himself at risk. I cared about him because I'd never had a person in my life that I could consider family. He was like my older brother and I wanted to return his favor of taking care of me. It bothered me that he didn't want my help though.

I stormed past him without another word.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I watched as Vestara brushed past me. I listened to her footsteps as she walked all the way back to her dorm. I sighed as she forced the door to slam.

I turned and glared at Padme's cell before blurring over to it. I pulled the door open and entered, closing it behind me. Vestara and I were the only ones in the entire temple that would be able to hear anything that happened inside of this room, but the rest of the Jedi couldn't.

"Ah, _Ani._ Where is Vestara? She's not listening outside, is she?"

"Where is he?" I asked patiently.

"How should I know?" she snapped.

I snarled and blurred over to her, pulling her wrists forward. The wooden pieces rammed themselves into her wrists and she howled like a wolf in the night. I had finally had enough of her ruining my life as well Vestara's. Vestara didn't deserve what was happening to her.

"I'm going to ask _one last time._ Where is he?" I ground it out as I growled.

"A-Abandoned building. It's a f-few blocks down from that bar," she managed to gasp.

I released her by tossing her back as lightly as I possibly could and she slumped against the wall. She was breathing heavily as her wrists began to heal. "I would hurry if I were you," she laughed. "His time is running out!"

I blurred out of the cell and down to Vestara's room. I didn't even hit the door once before she opened the door and glared at me. "What do _you _want?"

"I know where Dean is," I whispered. "There's an abandoned building a short distance away from the bar where your mystery bottle came from. Dean's being held there."

Her eyes widened for a moment before she blurred back into her room and grabbed her arrow gun. She attached it to her belt and came back to me. I blocked her path and cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Move," she growled.

"You are _not _going out there alone! You'll get killed," I said through my teeth. "I'm coming with you."

"No. You're _not!_ You're staying here to make sure your girlfriend lives and that Padme doesn't escape while I'm gone," she snapped.

"Vestara –"

"Oh, don't you '_Vestara_' me! If Padme felt us _both _leave, she would tear up the temple, starting with Ahsoka! You're not coming with me and that's _final!_ Now, _move!_"

I was stunned, so stunned that, when she pushed me out of the way, I was still gaping at the spot where she had _just _stood. I felt her leave the temple moments before loud crashes erupted down the hallway.

I gasped and blurred down to Padme's cell to find the doors broken and the cell _empty._ The vent was opened and I stood there in horror.

Vestara was walking into a trap.

And it was all _my _fault.

**POV: Vestara Amidala**

I sped through the streets of Coruscant, my mind and heart set on one thing.

As I finally reached the bar, I used the Force to seek out Dean's presence in the row of abandoned buildings. I finally found the right one and it was just… _creepy._

It was one of those broken down factories with bricks falling out everywhere. Windows were boarded over with wood. The door was steel and _locked_, but my desperation mixed with my strength and forced me to continue on. I was able to kick the door down with _ease._

I ran into the building and discovered that it was just as creepy on the inside as it was on the outside. There was a set of wooden stairs that led up to the second, third, and fourth floor. The floors caved in in quite a few places and the floorboards creaked as I walked forward.

I heard a squeaking sound behind me and I slowly and cautiously moved my hand towards my waist, reaching for my arrow gun.

Once it was in my hand, I whipped around and nearly shot an arrow when I realized what it was. The tiniest bug in known history scurried across the floor and dropped into a hole. I sighed and kept my gun in hand just in case.

"Dean," I whispered, glancing around nervously. "Where are you?"

I heard something scrape the floor moments later and I realized that it was coming from the second floor. I was about to walk up the stairs when something hit me directly in the face and I blacked out.

As soon as I woke up, I saw Ali's disgusting face right next to Dean's. She was holding him in a chokehold and his hands were chained together in front of him – _drain chains._ He was scratching at her arm and hand, but she just wasn't letting go.

Suddenly, I was pulled up by my hair and Padme's devilish face came into view. She was giving me such a sick and wicked smile. "No!" Dean screamed. "Let her _go!_"

"Quiet, foolish child," Padme hissed at him.

Dean made some sounds that enhanced the effect of the chokehold on him. I only assumed that Ali put more pressure on him. Padme's hand moved away from my hair and held my throat tightly. "I wonder if the Jedi even know you are gone, Vestara. It's not like you were much help to begin with though."

Padme and Ali laughed until the door burst open. Anakin – seething and angry – and Obi-Wan entered with their lightsabers drawn in the defensive position. I knew Anakin didn't need his lightsaber, but he liked carrying it around nonetheless. Padme held me in front of her like a human shield while holding me in a tight chokehold.

"Let them go, Padme," Anakin growled, stepping forward slowly.

His motions caused something sharp to poke at my neck. I heard a grunt from behind me and assumed that the same thing had just happened to Dean.

Anakin stopped cold and his eyes locked on me. I watched his eyes tear away from me and stare up at Padme. I didn't have to look at her to know that her cold and cruel smile was plastered upon her face.

Obi-Wan felt uneasy, knowing that he could do absolutely nothing against vampires. He was looking for a way to outsmart Padme, however. "Now, drop the weapons, boys."

"You're dead if you do that," Dean growled behind me.

"You and your girlfriend are _dead _if they _don't_, so be _quiet_," Ali whispered menacingly.

Anakin immediately released his lightsaber and Obi-Wan reluctantly did the same. Anakin's eyes locked with mine and I saw the fear that was hidden inside of his anger. He had _lots _of anger.

Anakin growled and Padme held me tighter against her. I felt something familiar hit my leg as she moved me. _My arrow gun._ Something entered me as Padme jabbed the sharp object into my neck. I could feel poison coursing through me and it _burned._

"_No!_" Anakin screamed.

Padme dropped me, but I managed to snag my gun as she did. Despite the dizziness rattling my brain, I saw Ali release Dean and it gave me the clear shot that I needed. I shot and an arrow soared across the room, making contact with her heart. She immediately screamed and disintegrated. I vaguely saw Padme take this opportunity to make her escape.

The poison began to spread much faster and I couldn't hold my own anymore. I fell over and collapsed onto the cool ground. Obi-Wan raced over to Dean while Anakin's strong arms scooped me up. "Vestara!" he whispered. "Vestara, can you hear me?"

I realized that his whispers were actually screams. My hearing was beginning to fade out as I stared up at him. I could barely even see him and make out his face. "Anakin…" I whispered. I couldn't even hear myself say his name.

My eyelids began to flutter as they got heavier. I felt so tired and I couldn't keep my eyes open.

"Vestara!" Anakin whispered. "_Vestara!_"

My name echoed on and on as I felt his forehead against mine for a brief moment.


	30. Pleasurable Guilt

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

Anakin was on his back on his bed and I was lying beside him, rubbing his chest slowly as I stared at his gorgeous face. We'd returned to the temple a few hours ago and now he wouldn't leave to go hunt like he wanted and needed to.

His stone chest hadn't moved in over twenty minutes and I sighed. "Anakin."

He finally breathed. "Yes?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Guilty. Pathetic. Useless. Need I go on?"

I groaned and crawled on top of him, straddling his waist. "What are you doing?"

"You've forced me to go to the extreme because you're so depressed and down on yourself. Prepare to be amazed, Mister Skywalker."

I leaned over and kissed him slowly and passionately. To be honest, I thought I was ultimately failing. His lips didn't move with mine for a few moments, but he sent my ego through the roof once they started to.

He grabbed my legs and practically grinded himself against me. Being that he was stronger, it kind of hurt, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. His hands slid up to my lower back as our chests touched. He moaned against my lips and my heart skipped a beat.

I didn't think I had the ability to please him because of how old and… _inhuman _he was. He showed me that he was pleased by me, but I didn't think I was that good. I felt him against me and I separated my lips from his, moaning loudly.

He was getting a bit out of control by the sounds of his moans and I was a little afraid. "How far do you want to go?" he whispered, breathing on my neck.

"As far as we can…"

He began to kiss my neck gently and I felt his fangs every now and then. His flesh hand rubbed my exposed skin carefully and lightly, sending chills of excitement through me. I grabbed his vest and started to pull it up. He paused in his kisses and allowed me to remove his vest and tunic all at once, revealing his toned chest. "Wow…" I whispered, amazed.

He chuckled. "I wonder if you look the same."

"I don't think so. Vampires' bodies are much more detailed than humanoid bodies…"

He sighed and kissed my chin. "I'm sure your body is glorious," he whispered. His mechanical hand grabbed my skirt gently and began to pull down slowly. He was giving me time to think about this and I _did _think about it.

This man was my heart and soul. He meant the galaxy to me and I wouldn't give him up for anyone or anything. If I was that in love with him, I thought the time had finally come for us to express our love through physical means.

He kissed my hip once the skirt slid off. I shivered as his fingers roamed over my skin. "I love you, Ahsoka."

I ran my fingers through his hair, arching my back a bit. "Don't hurt yourself, please," he pleaded.

He blurred up to me, coming face to face. He kissed my jaw and rubbed my shoulder. "I'm not hurting," I whispered. "You make me feel wonderful…"

His hand lowered to his belt and undid the buckle. He tossed it aside without removing his eyes from mine. I put my hands on either side of his face, rubbing his cheekbones as he smiled down at me. He slid his pants down and I pulled my tube top over my head. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"If you've been dead for a long time…" I trailed off. "Are we… Am _I _able to…?"

I felt the blush burning in my lekku as he stared at me with wide eyes. "I don't think so. I've never heard of it before."

"I don't want that…"

"I can explain why it wouldn't happen – for obvious reasons."

He smiled widely. "I'll pass on your explanation," I teased.

His lips moved across my skin gracefully and I moaned, pressing my chest against his as my back arched. His mechanical hand held me up off of the bed as he whispered loving words to me, telling me that he didn't want anyone else and that he could never live without me.

I tried to whisper something back to him, but I was too caught up in the moment. He was making my body act _completely _different. My heart was out of rhythm and my breathing was far from normal.

I think this is the most excited I've ever been in my life. I was still scared to do this, but I knew he was the one that I wanted to give myself up to. As much as I doubted myself sometimes, I _did _deserve him. He had been through a lot with Padme and it hurt him so much. I wasn't going to make him feel that bad ever again. I'd love him until my dying breath.

I gasped as my entire body became exposed to him. He stroked my lekku lightly, smiling at my face warmly. I stared up at him, searching for some kind of rejection in his eyes, but I could find nothing. "You're beautiful, Ahsoka."

He gently rubbed my stomach and chest, kissing my collarbone lightly. He would occasionally begin to bite my skin, but it was _very _gentle.

I wrapped my arms around his neck while my breath shook. "I love you, Anakin."

He quickly finished undressing himself and I pulled the blanket up to his lower back. "Are you sure this is what you want?" he whispered, looking at me with concern.

I had finally seen the full view of the masterpiece before me. He was gorgeous with and without clothes. "I'm sure," I whispered. "As long as you are."

He pecked my lips. "I love you so much, Ahsoka Tano."

His face lowered to my neck and his body lowered onto mine before everything blurred into heavenly bliss.

**Later.**

My body felt wonderful as he held me. Our fingers were intertwined on his chest and we couldn't help but smile at each other. He was concerned for me because he thought he'd hurt me. Yes, it had been a bit painful, but I thought it was natural.

He was _very _gentle with me. "Are you okay?" he whispered as he wiped my tears away. I kept my hand locked with his even as he stroked my face. "Ahsoka, this is really scary for me…"

I looked up at him and kissed his chest. "Ani…" He'd actually allowed me to call him that, though I'd been busy screaming '_Anakin_' for half an hour.

"Ahsoka, please, give me something. You haven't said anything about it."

He sat up a little, taking me with him. "Ani, stop it. You're getting yourself worked up over nothing. You made me feel _wonderful._ I swear I feel great. It was scary at first, but it was _fantastic._"

"You're sure?"

I moved my hand away from his and slid it up to his neck, cuddling up against him. I threw one of my legs over him. "Positive."

"Would you tell me if it was bad?"

I rubbed his neck as I became really tired. I didn't even want to talk anymore because I was so tired. I nodded slowly and I felt his hand slide down my bare back. "Go to sleep, sweetheart. I love you so much," he whispered.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I felt stupid for asking her question after question, but I wanted to make sure it had been good for her. I loved her and I owed her that much. She was getting frustrated after I kept asking and I should have taken a hint.

Now, she was relaxed on my chest with her legs on mine. I loved the feeling of her skin against mine. She was so… _warm._ I felt great, too. It's been quite a long time since I've _made love_ to someone.

I looked down at her face and was touched greatly by her beautiful smile. I gently stroked her left lek and smiled at her. This was _my _beautiful Ahsoka. Nothing and no one could take her away from me.

I hugged her tighter without breaking anything and kissed her forehead.

I laid there in absolute silence, listening to her heart and breathing. It was something I enjoyed while we slept next to each other. I rubbed her left arm slowly, closing my eyes.

I felt something awakening outside of the room and I opened my eyes, trying to figure out what it was. After several moments, I realized that Vestara was finally coming to. I wanted to be there to apologize to her when she woke up.

Yes, Ahsoka had tried her best to make me feel better, and yes, it had worked for the moment, but I still felt responsible and _guilty._

I slowly untangled myself from Ahsoka's limbs and put her in a comfortable position, covering her up so that she would be warm in my absence. I quickly dressed myself and leaned over her, kissing the side of her mouth gently.

It was hard to _not _bite her when she and I came so… _close._ I thought I'd kill her while making love to her, but I'd managed to control myself and think about how much I loved her and how much I wanted to preserve her life. I didn't want to hurt her; I wanted to make her feel _good._

I kissed her bare shoulder once before sliding off of the bed and blurring down to the medbay. In all curiosity, I wondered what Vestara would think of me now that I'd proved I was able to control myself around Ahsoka. If her screams hadn't been heard, I'd be shocked.

I entered the medbay to see Vestara's eyes fluttering open. She glanced over at me and smiled slightly. "Anakin?" she whispered, her voice groggy. "What happened?"

"Nothing since earlier. How are you feeling?" I blurred into the chair beside her bed and sat down, staring at her.

She looked at Dean and the smile grew a little, but didn't extend beyond a half smile. "I've been better," she said with a sigh. "What did she do to me?" She lifted her hand to her neck, rubbing it. I watched her flinch and my heart tightened.

My voice felt stuck until I forced myself to speak. "She used a syringe to inject poison into your veins. She could have killed you…"

I doubled over myself and held my head in my hands, shutting my eyes tightly. I heard her shift on the medical bed and I felt her hand move mine from my face. "What's wrong, Anakin?"

Judging by the closeness of her voice, she was sitting on the edge of the bed. I lifted my head and barely opened my eyes to see the look of concern on her face.

As soon as I looked at her, I felt worse. "It's all _my _fault," I whispered, putting my head back into both hands.

How could I _bear _to look at her? Padme was lashing out at her because of _me._ Vestara was nearly killed by that witch because of _me._ "That's not true!" she whispered, rubbing my shoulder. "We're all alive because of _you._"

I laughed in disbelief, staring at her sideways. "_No._ You almost _died _because of me, Vestara. That is the _third _time she had tried to kill you." I lifted my head up a bit to stare at her face.

I could just see her dangling from Padme's cold hands as she stood up for herself during my second capture. I could see the look of terror that she had given me…

I refocused to see her begin to rub her arm. I could see that she hadn't thought about it, but it still hurt me. I closed my eyes and returned to the night I'd found her. I kept asking myself, '_What if I had gotten there a few minutes early? A minute even?_' I wondered if she would still have that scar if I'd been able to get to her quicker.

I felt sick and uneasy. My eyes opened as she sensed the uneasiness and stopped rubbing the scar. "Anakin, that's _not _your fault."

As I was about to speak, Dean began to stir. I glanced up at her as she looked over at him. She turned back to me and I forced a half smile. "He'll want to talk to you once he wakes up," I whispered, standing up quickly.

"Okay," she whispered, sliding off of the medical bed.

I was about to blur back to my dorm, but she grabbed my arm, holding me back. She gave me a really concerned look and whispered, "But we're _not _done talking about this, big brother."

I mentally sighed and wiggled my arm out of reach so I could leave.


	31. The Order to Fall

**POV: Padme Amidala**

I was able to board a ship and fly out to the Separatist base on Geonosis. It was our central meeting hub, so I wasn't surprised when Count Dooku greeted me at the foot of the landing ramp. He took my arm and led me down to one of the catacombs on this forsaken planet.

"How was your mission, milady?"

I growled. "Skywalker is _definitely _getting more arrogant. Once I can persuade him to join us, the temple and all of its Jedi will _fall._ I've learned that he has many weaknesses. If we exploit them all, he'll fall sooner."

He nodded and gave me a look. "Our Master arrived several hours ago and he's been asking about our progress. I had been hoping you'd have better news to report, milady," he whispered as we entered the meeting chamber.

"Well," I said in frustration. "I'm _so _sorry to disappoint. It's not like I was given much help to begin with, Count."

I felt my anger and frustration rising and I assumed my Master could feel it as well. "What of Vestara? She was with you, correct?"

I snarled and turned on him, my fangs coming out. "Do _not _mention that arrogant, pathetic, little excuse for a life form _again_."

He merely smirked and I was going to rip him to shreds moments before Sidious entered. We both halted in threatening each other and turned to face him. He motioned for us to take our seats and we both did immediately. I glared at Dooku, who was now sitting across from me, out of the corner of my eye. I saw him smirk again and I slammed my fist down on the table, shattering my corner. Sidious sighed and shook his hooded head.

"I can feel your anger, my dear. I know you've failed to bring Skywalker to our side and I _also _know that your '_daughter_' has joined them. In the end, we can use that to our advantage."

I stared at him, not quite understanding what he meant by that. "_How?_"

"From what I've gathered, he cares very much for his fellow Jedi. He cares even after they rejected him at first. He _especially _cares for his former Master, his pet of a Padawan, and your former daughter. If the temple, theoretically, was to be attacked and his friends were murdered because of him, he _may _be more persuadable. With his weaknesses out of the way, we may be able to turn him against all that he's sworn his life to."

I _loved _the sound of that. Having Anakin on our side meant I would have him under _my _control once again and I would be free to do with him as I pleased. At the same time, I could kill the little witch that stole his heart along with Vestara.

"This sounds like a good plan, my Master," Dooku whispered. "But how will we get our forces into the temple without having them blown to bits at first sight?"

Sidious smiled wickedly behind his hood. "Why, my boy," he said, a hint of laughter in his voice. "We execute Order Sixty-six."

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

A little later in the day, I walked into the Senate building and took a turbolift up to the Chancellor's office. I didn't understand why, but he wanted to talk to _me._ He was a friend of mine, but he'd been one of the people I couldn't tell about myself. I had to improvise most things I said because he was the Chancellor. If word of my being a vampire leaked out, my life would be over.

I licked my lips and felt Ahsoka's kisses. She's pleaded with me for ten minutes, begging to let her come with me. I told her that this would probably be nothing more than an update on our war effort. She told me that she'd had a very bad feeling and I told her to go relax, promising that I'd be back soon.

The turbolift opened and I walked forward until the office doors slid open. I entered his office and the doors slid to a close behind me. He was sitting in his usual spot in front of the open, oval window. He spun and smiled at me as I entered the room.

"Chancellor," I greeted, bowing slightly.

He walked over to me and shook my hand. "Anakin, my boy, it's so good to see you again."

"If I may skip the pleasantries, what is it that you called me here for?"

"I've heard about your… _predicament._" He sat down in his chair once again.

I cocked an eyebrow. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"To my understanding, you were kidnapped a few months ago. The person – or should I say, _woman_ – that did this to you tried to turn you to the dark side."

"H-how do you know that?"

I slowly moved my hand towards my saber, clutching the hilt. He ignored my question and smirked slightly. "I also understand that your _Padawan _was with you during this."

I growled and ignited my lightsaber, holding it up to his throat. "How could _you _possibly know that?" I said, my frustration and fear rising.

"Are you going to kill me, Anakin?" There was a slight laugh to his tone. "We _both _know you don't even need a lightsaber for that."

I glared at him and swallowed slowly. _He _knew my secret. How could he _possibly _know my secret? And how did he receive the details of my capture? The Council, Ahsoka, and Vestara were the _only _ones that knew. Well, aside from the Separatists…

I mentally cursed myself and realized that everything in my life was becoming a joke. How could I have been so _stupid?_ "You're a _Sith._"

He chuckled lightly and I felt an immense amount of darkness overwhelming me as he began to stand. "Quite frankly, Anakin, I'm _surprised _you didn't figure it out sooner." He stared at my stunned face. "You won't kill me, Anakin. If you do, you risk keeping your _true _identity a secret."

I was tempted to run him through, but the fact that I was a vampire couldn't go public. _Never._ It was bad enough that more people were coming into my circle of knowledge. "I'll report you to the Council," I whispered, turning to leave.

"Of course you will," he called out after me.

**Later.**

I entered the Council chambers, nearly bursting through as I interrupted their meeting. Windu stood and stared at me angrily. "Skywalker, what is the meaning of this?"

"I-I'm sorry for the intrusion, Masters, but I _need _to speak with you."

"What is it?"

"I've been given reason to believe the Chancellor is a Sith Lord."

A few members gasped while Windu and Yoda exchanged troubled looks. Many members began whispering things about not believing me. I knew it was because I was a vampire.

"Silence," Windu boomed.

"What proof have you?" Yoda asked me.

I briefly explained what had transpired in the Chancellor's office. Yoda was about to respond when a series of explosions erupted from the outside of the chambers. Everyone stood up and began to run towards the exit.

Without warning, several clone squads entered and I had an uneasy feeling. They were blocking the exit with their blasters aimed _directly _at us.

"Let us through, trooper," Windu demanded.

"I'm sorry, sir," Commander Wolffe said casually.

My hand flew back to my lightsaber immediately, but I didn't pull it off of my belt. "I'm giving you three seconds," Windu said, his patience running out.

The clones cocked their blasters and that was enough of an answer for us. Blaster bolts flew through the air along with the sounds of lightsabers and _plenty _of _death._

I watched Rex enter into the fray and I was half tempted to kill him, but I realized that he wasn't shooting at us. He was shooting at _Wolffe._

"Rex, you traitorous dog!" Wolffe snarled.

He shot Wolffe in the arm, causing him to drop his blaster. "I'm sorry, brother," Rex said solemnly.

Rex closed his eyes and shot Wolffe in the head. Once the other clones were dead, we all dispersed from the room. The temple was in _ruins._ The pillars were giving way or caving in in some spots. Bodies of clones and Jedi littered the floor and I _tried _not to think about Ahsoka. I couldn't help myself, however.

I turned to Rex and demanded that he tell me what was going on. "Order Sixty-six," he whispered.

"And what does _that _mean?"

It means that all the Jedi are to be _wiped out._"

I spanned out my senses and hearing. I darted off and felt Rex running behind me. Regardless of his human pace, he was pretty quick. We ran over corpses as we passed through the temple. I entered one of the large halls and watched Ahsoka jumping across broken pillars and ledges as clones attacked her.

I launched myself into the battle and began to use my teeth instead of my lightsaber, ripping everyone to shreds that threatened my mate. She saw me and smiled as I allowed my animal side to take over.

Everything worked out pretty well until she launched herself into the air and tried to jump onto a pillar beside me. She grabbed the top of the pillar and dangled for a moment. Before I could move, a clone saw her and _shot _her in the arm. She lost her grip and began to fall twenty feet.

I threw the clones out of my way and blurred into the right spot to catch her. She fell into my arms and I cradled her, observing the wounds she'd received from this battle alone. She was bleeding all over and looked pretty scraped up as it was. I moved my arm and saw blood on the sleeve. Her head was bleeding.

She lifted a hand to my face and smiled weakly, her eyes barely opening. Rex watched me stare at her in horror before he said, "I'll go get a medical," and took off.

I looked down at her, my mouth feeling dry all of a sudden. Her hand fell onto her waist and her eyes closed. "Ahsoka?" I whispered. She wasn't moving anymore. "Ahsoka, come on! You _need _to wake up!" I couldn't lift my voice above a whisper. I was so terrified of losing her…

I lifted my wrist to my face and bit into it before holding it to her lips. I watched my blood seep into her mouth. If she swallowed, it would heal her. I watched her lips move a little and heard her swallow it down. I sighed in relief and stroked her cheeks gently. "Don't leave me, Ahsoka."

Just then, my comlink went off. I stared at her for a few moments, not wanting to miss a thing. I needed to make sure her breathing was all right and that her wounds were healing. Her breathing was steadying and her cuts were beginning to heal.

I tried to keep the fear out of my voice as I answered the com. I failed to keep myself under control. "Skywalker here," I said hoarsely.

I heard a light laugh and I growled. "_How is the fight going, Ani? Because, by the looks of it from the Senate building, it's not going so well._"

_Padme._

_That _voice was something I did _not _need right now. Ahsoka could have been killed. She must have known I'd blame myself for her death, which is why I was lured out of the temple for a short time period. Everything was finally falling into place.

I stroked Ahsoka's cheek once again and became so tempted to kiss her while the com was still on an open frequency. If I'd lost her today… I'd never be able to live with myself. _Never._ It was like losing my mother all over again. At least, that's how I imagined it would feel. I just hoped I'd never have to face Ahsoka's death. I wanted to keep her as healthy and alive as I possibly could.

In order to do that, I'd have to slaughter everyone that tried to harm her.

_Padme _was at the head of that _long _list.****


	32. Living Nightmares and Beautiful Dreams

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Padme was going to pay for all the devastation she'd caused. I was so angry right now. I was so angry that I could feel the Force rippling inside of me. I snarled at the image of Padme before me. "I swear," I whispered. "When I find you…"

She snickered. "_You'll do what? Cry me a river of your petty tears and drown me in it? Ani, I always knew you were weak. This just proves it._"

I heard her laughter as well as someone else's. That concerned me because I thought she'd been working alone since I'd taken Vestara from her. "Who else is with you?"

She stepped aside and glanced at the figure before it came into view. The Chancellor stood beside her and smiled wickedly at me, making me _sick._ "_Hello, my boy._"

Seeing him with that monster was something I had _not _expected. Then again, I had revealed _his _identity and this now explained how he knew what I was. I glanced at Ahsoka's face and swallowed slowly, not enjoying the fact that she was suffering because of me. "You ordered this attack," I growled, glancing back at Palpatine and Padme.

"_Of course I did. Who else has supreme power?_"

"What do you want?" I whispered.

He began to cackle and Padme began to chuckle alongside him, aggravating me. "_Turn yourself in and give up, Anakin. If you manage to come willingly, the attack will be called off and your false lover will survive another day. I can practically smell the blood being spilled in the Temple because of you._"

I stood up carefully, cradling Ahsoka against my chest. The way he said that last part scared me a little. "What did you _just _say?"

"_Surely you didn't think that I was incapable of being _all _powerful, Anakin,_" he chuckled.

I hesitated and glanced at Ahsoka once again. She looked at peace right now. As long as no one killed her before my blood was out of her system, she wouldn't become a vampire. I sighed and glared at Palpatine. "I will meet you, but _only _in order for you to call off the attack."

"_Of course, Anakin, I wouldn't expect anything else._"

I immediately disconnected the connection and closed my eyes. Ahsoka coughed and I immediately looked down at her. Her hand jerked, smacking me. I knew it wasn't intentional. She wasn't even aware of what was going on right now. I stroked the left side of her face slowly and smiled weakly at her. She was so beautiful, even when she was unconscious. That's what made it fun to watch her sleep at times.

I vaguely realized that our dorm was just down the hallway. I blurred down the hall and entered the dorm, laying Ahsoka down on my bed. _Our _bed. We _both _spent time together on this bed, so it wasn't just mine. I leaned forward and stroked her cheek gently before kissing her forehead. I shut my eyes tightly for a moment, hoping that nothing would happen to her in my absence. I opened my eyes and stared at her face as I moved back. "I love you," I whispered, my voice apologetic and regretful. I didn't _want _to leave her here, but she'd be safe for the moment.

I spun around slowly and blurred out of the dorm.

**Later.**

I arrived outside of the Senate building and hopped out of my star fighter. Troopers were en masse in front of me, blasters raised at chest level. "General, stop right there," one called out.

I smirked cruelly and blurred towards them. Their screams of pain and terror excited me. These men had given in to the wrong side and some of them had even harmed _my _Ahsoka. I blurred through the crowd of white and necks were ripped apart as I passed by them one by one.

Once bodies in pools of red littered the ground, I let out a triumphant chuckle, walking over the bodies. Subconsciously, I knew this was _wrong._ Some of these men were _my _men and I'd just killed their brothers. It would be like someone taking Obi-Wan from me. He was my brother… in a sense.

I entered the building and was shocked to see complete _emptiness._ "What in the –" I cried out as I was taken by surprise. Wood was shot at me from a few blasters. It was enough to distract me and I'd failed miserably at paying attention. I writhed around, trying to stop the blasts, but drain chains were snapped onto my wrists. I was thrown down onto the floor with the wooden piece digging itself into my wrists. I screamed in agony as each piece of wood that had pierced my body finally had some effect on me. I was a bloody mess after all of those wooden blasts hit me…

Padme knew _exactly _what she was doing and it didn't surprise me that she'd try to capture me. After all that's happened, I knew it would inevitably come down to her versus me one day. I was waiting longingly for the day when I could bite into her neck and behead her, putting the galaxy at rest because _one _monster was gone.

The strongest and most qualified troopers led me up to the familiar office of '_Chancellor Palpatine_.' The room hadn't changed all that much. It had become a much darker and disturbing room, however. It was like he was one of the few vampires that couldn't stand the light. I had a little trouble with the light every now and then, but it never physically bothered me.

Padme's monstrous face stared directly at me as I was forced into an uncomfortable chair. Our eyes remained locked in an uninterrupted glare. The anger from me and the cockiness from her did _not _mix well together.

A hooded figure was sitting beside her in front of the now-shaded oval window in the back. It spoke and its voice had ice dripping with each sound."I knew you would make the right choice," Palpatine whispered.

I growled and _immediately _regretted it. Electricity coursed through me, paining me deeply. I didn't cry out like I wanted to. The only thing I could do was groan in pain. Luckily, for me, the pain stopped almost as quickly as it had begun.

Palpatine laughed as I took in a few shaky and forced breaths. He may have gotten me right where he wanted me, but I'd make him pay for all of the destruction and devastation… All of the _deception._ I glared at the man I'd once called my friend and he spoke. "Padme, I'll be on our ship. Don't take _too _long," he said, chuckling as he stood. He walked past me as well as everyone else in the room and stopped for a brief moment to glance over his shoulder. "And don't damage him too much either. We _still _need him."

Padme smiled wickedly at me once the doors had closed behind us. "What do you say about checking on your little, Jedi _friends?_"

I remained silent, my glare unfaltering. She rolled her eyes and muttered something about me being an incompetent boy. She pulled up a holographic image on Palpatine's desk and Ahsoka appeared. My heart leapt out of my chest as her eyes slowly began to flutter open. She was still in our dorm and it appeared as though the bleeding had finally stopped.

She had sent a spy droid into the temple and she was torturing me with this. Ahsoka sat up a bit and rubbed her head. Rex appeared in the doorway and asked if she was all right. She nodded and threw her legs over the side of the bed, staring at him in horror. "_Where's Anakin?_" she asked quickly, her voice straining itself to remain composed.

"_He'll be back. Don't worry, Commander._"

She bit her lip and glanced up at the spy droid, gasping for a brief moment. "_Rex!_"

He spun around and the spy droid zoomed away. What I saw next made me feel ill. Vestara was lying face down on the ground. I could tell that she was breathing, but it seemed _so _painful for her. Dean was beside her, rubbing her back and Obi-Wan was wrapping his leg in bacta. From the way it looked, he'd broken his leg. His robes were burnt and tattered in several areas, indicating that he'd been shot at several times.

A beeping from the desk distracted me from the images on the hologram. It was beginning to hurt me a lot more than I realized. I hated seeing my friends in pain. I hated seeing _anyone _but Padme in pain. "_Padme, let's go _now!_ I don't want the Jedi to discover that he's gone_," Palpatine's cruel voice demanded.

Padme sighed in disgust and nodded. "Fine," she replied, annoyed.

She blurred back to me and pulled out a cloth from her robes. I recognized the smell of it and I tried to keep it away from me, but, due to her age, she was stronger than me. She covered my nose and mouth with the cloth and I immediately inhaled the drugs. It was… _inviting._ I could smell a hint of blood in it and I traced it all the way back to _Ahsoka._

I tried to struggle at first, but it didn't matter to me anymore. If I was gone, everyone, including Ahsoka, would be safe from this monster. I gave in and inhaled as much of it as I could, allowing the darkness to consume me.

As much as I just wanted to black out and let everything for a little while, I couldn't. The darkness around me transformed into a beautiful terrain, green grass and a beautiful lake before me. The sun was setting in the distance and I gaped at the amount of perfection in the scenery. A small hand grasped mine and I glanced to my left. "Ahsoka?" I whispered.

"Hi, Ani," she whispered, smiling. She tightened her grip on my hand and I leaned towards her quickly to kiss her lips. She kissed me back just as fiercely as I was kissing her, which seemed out of place. I pulled back and stared at her confusedly. No one could ever kiss me like that. A mortal couldn't anyway. "What's wrong?"

"H-How…?"

"Anakin, relax, please. I'm in your dream. Well, it wasn't a dream until I came in. I… miss you. I wanted to see where you were and I focused quite a bit to get here. I'm just glad you aren't… you know…"

"If you're really Ahsoka, what did you say to me while I made love to you that had such an impact on me?"

She smiled and leaned against my shoulder, pulling our intertwined hands into her lap. "I said that it was perfect. I said that I wish time could stand still in this moment because I don't want it to end. You're perfect for me and I love you. Everything in the way you move –"

I blurred and knocked her onto her back before I began to kiss her passionately. She held my sides as she returned my kisses. _This _was my Ahsoka. She pushed me back to regain her breath, though I didn't understand why she needed breath in a dream state. She smiled up at me and lifted her fingers to my hair, stroking it gently. "Ahsoka," I whispered, staring into her eyes.

She stared up at me lovingly and playfully pecked my lips the way she did when I was in a really bad mood. She could cheer me up with a smile or with the falter in her heart beat when she looked at me. "I love you, Ani."

"I love you," I whispered back to her.

"Does all of this feel real to you?" she asked, lowering her right hand to my neck, tracing my jaw lightly. Her fingers felt like satin on my skin. I nodded slowly and she lifted herself by wrapping both arms around my neck. "Can we…?"

I smiled and kissed her right lek, wrapping my arms around her. "Yes," I whispered. She let go of me and I laid her back down on the grass. She slowly began to remove her tube top and I smiled at her for a moment before leaning down to kiss her.

The next few moments were a blur before I began to make love to her. Dream or not, it was still _perfect._

**A/N: I'm so sorry for taking almost two **_**months **_**to update **_**Darkness.**_** I heard that it was nominated for **_**Best Anisoka **_**on Luxsoka504's poll and I wanted to update as quickly as I possibly could as a thank you to whoever nominated this story. I'm so glad you're all enjoying **_**Darkness **_**and I hope to keep your interest!** **Thank you **_**all **_**for taking the time to read this story. I truly appreciate it.**


	33. Beginning of Revelations

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I flexed my fingers before returning them back to their grip on the beautiful orange shoulder I'd been holding. Her warm hands slid across my chest until she propped herself up and smiled at me. That smile took my breath away, even inside this dream. I stared up at her, mesmerized completely by her beauty. My hand rested on her stomach and she reached out to stroke my jaw. "What are you so happy about?" she whispered.

"I've got you," I replied. "What's not to be happy about?"

She rolled over a bit until she was lying on her stomach above mine. "Ani, can you tell me why you let them capture you?"

I hesitated and she urged me to tell her. She threatened that she wouldn't stop until I told her and it took a lot of me to actually say what I had to. "I'm a monster," I whispered. "You're a beautiful girl and I've tainted you. I bit you, I…"

"So you regret what you've done to me?" she asked. I could hear the sadness in her voice and it broke my heart. I forced myself into a sitting position and she wrapped her legs around my waist. "Ani –"

"No. Listen," I begged. "I don't regret what I've done to you. I made love to you and I don't regret that. I enjoyed it and I enjoyed you. You're the first person in quite some time that I've been able to say that about." I paused for a moment, lifting my hands to trace the markings on her cheeks. "I don't regret falling in love with you. I just… don't know if I can control myself for the rest of your life."

"You're going to let me die?"

"I'm going to let you live your life the same way you would have if I hadn't come into it."

"You've told me that you can't live without me. How –"

"I'll… I can't live without you. You've given me purpose and, if you're gone, I have no purpose. I'd join you as soon as I knew you were gone."

"I wouldn't want that for you…"

"I've lived at least five lifetimes." I kissed her lips briefly and trailed over to her cheekbone. "I've had my share of life. I don't need more."

Aggravating flashes began to cloud my vision and we both groaned in pain, clutching our heads. A warm sensation washed over me and I felt as if I were burning in an airless box. Ahsoka gripped my hand tightly and leaned forward, resting her dreamlike head on my shoulder. I rubbed her back gently as the flashes began to get worse.

Lava leapt into the burning air every few seconds until the flash blinded us once again. A large volcano appeared in the background with veins of lava streaking down its sides. I saw myself standing on a platform outside of a nearby factory. Padme was beside me, smiling up at me.

I cringed as she touched me and I was thrown out of my dream and away from Ahsoka. I jerked up in the cell I was being held in on Padme's ship. Oddly enough, I wasn't chained to the wall. I wasn't chained at all. I cocked an eyebrow and pushed myself up, growing more and more curious by the moment. I stepped towards the barred door and pushed it. To my surprise, it flew forward, crashing against a wall. It felt forward and a dent remained where the door had once been.

"Huh," I whispered, smirking. "Either you've gotten sloppy or you're getting what's coming to you as I speak." Something in the ship bothered me as I blurred out of the holding area and darted through the corridors. I stopped dead when I saw Padme holding a wooden object in front of her. She chuckled and I smirked. "Really? This is what our battle has come to?"

"You should be afraid of this," she hissed. "It's wood."

"I know it is."

My body was on an emotional high. Making love to Ahsoka in my dream made me realize that I _needed _to get out of here. I needed to stop giving in to everyone and everything around me just because I didn't think I was strong enough to overcome them. I laughed directly at Padme and she stared at me wide-eyed.

A new scent drifted through the ship and I was paralyzed. Not _literally, _but figuratively. That _smell _was something _extremely _familiar. "_Help me,_" a voice croaked. My dead heart leapt out of my chest at the discovery that Ahsoka was aboard the ship.

"Ah," Padme said, stepping closer to me. "I see you found my little surprise for you."

"What have you done to her?"

"You'll see," she said, smirking at me. I growled at the smug look on her face and I blurred forward. My rage had always been my strength. She'd learned that the hard way in the past. I was just too afraid to stand up to her again after I'd been beaten pretty badly shortly before her official return.

I nipped at her hand and she dropped the stake. I threw her aside, but she spun around and grabbed me with much more force than I could have imagined. She slammed me up against the wall and glared at me. "I've had her blood, my sweet. I don't think you're going to get away from me that easily. You, of all people, know that her blood strengthens us beyond our wildest dreams. You're a fool for not taking advantage of your blood pool while it's in front of you."

"_Ani… Please…_" she whispered from across the ship. Her pleading was breaking my heart. Every single time I felt her pain or heard her pain, I'd fall to pieces. I needed to be her crutch and I was in no position as of this moment to act as such. She began to cough up blood. I could hear it hit the floor as she leaned forward in her chains. She gagged once before starting up her coughing fit again.

"You hear that?" Padme asked. "That's the sound of your little toy fading. Now, I don't plan on letting her go just yet. I plan on letting you watch her suffer for quite some time."

I growled and felt a vast amount of heat in my chest and mouth. My fangs shot out on their own accord and I was able to rip myself out of her grasp. I blurred away from her and chased Ahsoka's scent. I broke the door down to see _Dean._ "D-Dean?" I stuttered. His eyes were blood red and he held a knife against Ahsoka's wrist. I felt my fangs retract as I stared at him.

She stared at me in horror, her eyes pleading for me to save her. Dean stared at me coldly, almost as if he didn't have a care in the galaxy about the love of my life. "Dean, why are you doing this to her?" I whispered, my voice nearly giving out.

He looked so apologetic as he sliced into her skin again. My eyes focused on the cut and the blood oozing down her skin as she whimpered. "P-Padme s-said she could _save _V-Vestara…"

"And you _believed _her?" I asked, flabbergasted. "Dean, Padme is a walking _lie. _She can't save anyone! She's _using _you to hurt me. Can't you see that?" He stared at me with the edge of the knife on Ahsoka's skin once again. "Please, Dean, stop. _I _can heal Vestara for you. Let me… Let me save Ahsoka first, please."

"I don't trust you."

"Please." Ahsoka's eyes shut tightly and I saw tears trailing down her cheeks. Dean held no strings in this matter. I was stronger and older than him. I just didn't _want _to end his life. Vestara would hate me for the rest of our existence if I killed her mate. As our kind always says: _a mate for a mate._ If I kill her mate, she kills mine. "Dean, _please._ I'm asking – no – I'm _begging _you to let me get Ahsoka out of here. Come with me and I'll help Vestara."

Ahsoka's heart was pounding and her blood was rushing into my ears. I saw how intensely she was trying to focus and I felt a small pressure on my mind. I immediately soothed it and allowed her access to my thoughts. "Ahsoka," I whispered quickly. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I _promise._"

She opened her eyes and stared at me nervously. "_What if he kills me? I have his blood in my system._"

My shock must have tipped Dean off. He slid the knife across her skin and she screamed. The pain echoed in her thoughts and I felt it with her. I snarled and dove at him. I grabbed his wrist and crushed it until the knife fell out of his fingers and crashed against the durasteel floor. "_Stay. Put_," I threatened. "I am _much _faster and _much _stronger than you, so _don't _try to run off."

I let him go and blurred over to Ahsoka, quickly breaking her bindings. She threw her arms up once they were free and I quickly hugged her, kissing her jaw. "Ani," she whispered out loud. She ran her fingers through my hair and breathed heavily.

"I promised," I whispered against her montrals. I glanced at Dean and saw the pain in his face. I straightened up and pulled Ahsoka up with me, holding her in my arms. She gave me this '_You can put me down_' look and I kissed her forehead. The last thing I wanted to do was set her down.

"Anakin, I –"

"Relax," I growled. "We'll talk about this once Ahsoka is safe and Vestara is healed. Right now we have to – _agh!_"

I collapsed onto my knees as something surged through my body. I didn't mean to, but I let go of Ahsoka and she rolled forward for a brief moment before she grabbed me. "Anakin!" My fangs came out and I stared up at her. The smell of her blood became a drug to me. She gasped and backpedaled before Dean grabbed her. "Why are h-his eyes _red?_" she asked him, her voice full of fear.

"Ahsoka, we need to leave," he said quickly. He lifted her up the way I'd previously been holding her and he darted out of the room. Her blood left me a trail and I snarled in rage. I couldn't see Ahsoka as my mate anymore. All I saw her as was as my prey. I leapt up onto my feet and charged after them.

I felt something shoot into my neck and, once again, I collapsed onto the floor. Darkness overwhelmed me and all of my senses halted.

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

I screamed after Anakin fell forward. Dean shot a tranquilizer at Anakin. I didn't even think that would've worked on him because of his age, but it _did._ Dean pressed a button on the airlock and it opened to a small ship. "Get on and start up the ship. I'll get him inside."

I ran into the ship and headed into the cockpit. My heart was racing and sped up even more as I heard a thud in the back. I spun around to see Dean gaping at me. "I didn't mean to drop him. He's fine though." He lifted Anakin onto one of the couches in the back. This must have been a luxury ship for Padme.

Dean came up into the cockpit with me. I stared at him until he silently asked me to shift over. I slid out of the pilot's seat and sat in the co-pilot's. "Take it easy, Ahsoka. We've got him now, so he'll be okay. I'll have Obi-Wan meet us as we near Coruscant."

"Dean, why did Anakin turn on us like that? He was just trying to save me and then… we lost him."

"I'm sure Padme did something to him while he was locked up. Obi-Wan and I will check him out once we get him in the medbay."

Minutes of silence ensued before I stared at him for a moment. "Why did you risk my life to save Vestara's? You know Anakin knows more about vampires than Padme." I paused. "He told me this in private one night, but… He used to save vampires. There were others like him that were being attacked by older vampires. He's the… _third _oldest vampire, I believe, so he has more power than any of them. Padme is stronger than him, but her creator is stronger than them both put together."

"Padme told me that others were stronger than Anakin," he whispered. "You know, I'm starting to think vampires began to the rule of two for the Sith."

"The very first vampire _was _Sith," I whispered. "Anakin told me that, so your theory might be possible."

"Padme disobeyed that rule. Vestara and I were created by her after Anakin. That little –"

"Take it easy," I begged. "We've already got one crazy vampire on board. I can't do anything against you, so, please, for my sake, just… calm down."

He sighed and nodded, giving me a brief apology before focusing on the starry trails before us that led back to Coruscant.


	34. The First to Fall

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

I stared at Anakin as he laid on the bed beside me. He still hadn't woken up since we'd returned to Coruscant and that made me all the more nervous. Vestara had recovered and she stood outside the door, waiting for her brother to wake up. She believed she could stop him… or at least save me before he killed me. I wasn't sure if I believed her because my vampire boyfriend always threatened that he was much more skillful than them…

He gasped and his arm flew out. He launched himself across the room, slamming into the durasteel wall abruptly. I sat up and stared at him in shock. He had crushed the table in the corner of the room and was now sitting in a near-fetal position. I crawled across the bed cautiously. "Ani?"

He stared at me with blood red eyes before blurring to the side of the bed. He gripped my hands and I jumped, scared of the sudden interaction we had. "Ahsoka… What happened to me? Why am I… so _hungry?_"

I tightened my hold on his hands and tried to keep myself from kissing him. That could kill me since he was thirsty. "We think Padme did something to you." He kept staring into my eyes and that made me feel a lot better because he wasn't looking at my neck and thinking about trying to kill me. "Anakin, do you want to –"

"Don't offer me your blood," he whispered. "I won't take it. I _can't _take it." He held my hands closer to his face and kissed them gently, closing his eyes tightly. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, my love, you didn't." I pulled my hands out of his and lifted his face up a bit. I leaned forward and pressed my lips against his. He moaned into the kiss until I felt his fangs pierce my lower lip. He pulled away from me and growled in aggravation. I stared at him sadly before stroking his hair back. "Hey, look at me."

He glanced at me and I kissed him again. It was a much more… _brief _kiss, but it was just as enjoyable. He returned the kiss with as much pleasure as I put into it and stroked my jaw line. Once we parted for _me _to breathe, he sighed. "Ahsoka…"

"Yes?" He bit his lip and I saw how hard it was for him to say whatever it was that he wanted to get out. I watched his eyes and I saw the battle going on within them. It hurt me to know that he was struggling to talk to me. "Anakin, just say whatever you need to, please…"

"How much of a… _monster _would you think I am if I asked you for your blood?"

"I love you for who you are, not _what _you are." I kissed his forehead and smiled at him. "If I want to be _with _you, then I've got to put up with these things. I want you to be able to get used to my blood, so go for it. As long as you aren't trying to kill me, I'm fine with it. You're not as animal-like as you were earlier and I trust you."

I scooted back a bit and he crawled onto the bed, sitting on his knees in front of me. I watched how sad his eyes became and how tempted he was to go back on what he just asked me. I could see that he didn't want to bite me and _that _was the Anakin I loved. "I can't –"

"Yes, you can," I whispered. I moved closer to him and he lifted his flesh hand to my neck, stroking the vein that he'd sucked from before. "There aren't any animals on Coruscant and I don't want you to leave me here alone while you hunt."

He gently pushed me back until I was lying on the pillows. "You're absolutely sure you're okay with this?"

"Yes," I whispered. I watched him crawl on top of me. He licked my neck in a certain spot and I knew that's where he was going to bite me. I slid my arms beneath his and gripped his shoulders. I felt his fangs brush up against my skin and it sent chills through me. I closed my eyes as he gently sank his fangs into me.

I could feel my blood rushing up to where he was sucking and it made my body tingle. All of my blood went from varied parts of my body up to that vein he was sucking from. He wasn't rough with me like he was when he was monstrously hungry. He was gentle and loving even as he siphoned the life out of me. He told me one of the first few times he bit me that he wanted me to tell him if he was taking too much. I wasn't sure how to tell him that without making him take _more._

My body was getting weaker and I was beginning to get lightheaded. I moaned and dug my nails into his shoulders. "A-Ani, s-stop," I whispered, begging.

He immediately pulled away without hurting me more. He hovered above me and stared into my eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his lips coated in my blood. He licked his lips before lifting his wrist to his mouth. He bit into his arm and held it out towards me. I sat up and sucked _his _blood out of his arm. He told me a few times that his blood would heal me, so I willingly drank it when he offered it to me. Once I took what I needed to, I pulled away and wiped my mouth.

The taste of his sweet blood stayed in my mouth and sent me into ecstasy. He stared at me curiously and I cocked an eye marking at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're strange," he teased, laughing lightly. "But I like it."

"How am _I _strange?"

"You enjoy my blood as much as I enjoy yours."

I rolled my eyes and laid back down, pulling him with me. He laid on top of me, propping himself up with his elbows. He kissed my lips gently, stroking the markings on my cheeks. "Ani, can I tell you something? It's really important… to me anyway."

"Of course, Ahsoka." He stared into my eyes, wanting to know what was on my mind.

"I… I think something's wrong with Dean. He was acting strange and then he vanished for a few hours. He came back during the night and kidnapped me. He wasn't under some spell, Anakin, or at least I don't think he was."

"You think he took you on purpose?"

"Well, it wasn't an accident. Do you think I'm –?"

"I believe you. I believe you one hundred percent, my love." He kissed my lips again before blurring into a sitting position at the end of the bed. "Just… what _do _you think was his motive?" he whispered.

I could see that he sensed something or someone by the way he nodded towards the door. "I'm not sure, but I don't think it's anything good." He got off of the bed quietly and stepped lightly towards the door, wanting me to keep talking. "I mean, it didn't even look like he cared about Vestara. The way he looked at her was more of a 'I win' kind of thing. He –"

The door broke down and Anakin growled loudly. Dean attacked him and another vampire entered behind him, staring dead on at _me._ I jumped off of the bed and pulled my lightsaber and Anakin's lightsaber into my hands, igniting them instantaneously. Dean and Anakin thrashed about until they went through the wall, leaving me alone with _this _vampire.

"'Ello, darlin'. You must be Ani's little Soka." He smiled widely, revealing his fangs to me. "Those lightswords ya got there ain't posing a threat to me, little girl. I applaud your efforts, but it's all – _agh!_"

A wooden tip burst through his chest and he fell to the floor. Vestara stood and smiled at me. I sighed in relief and deactivated the lightsabers. "Ahsoka, what's going on?"

"D-Dean is fighting Anakin. I don't think Dean's with us anymore," I said quickly. She looked horrified, but I couldn't lie to her as Dean had been. She came closer to me and growled.

"You mean to tell me that my _mate _has betrayed us?" I bit my lip until I heard Anakin cough and come back into the room. He looked battered beyond words and I ran to him. I caught him before he collapsed onto the floor and I gently lowered him down. His hand was covering his chest and he was coughing up a bunch of blood. "Anakin, where's Dean?"

"G-Gone," he choked out. He closed his eyes and groaned in pain. I moved his hand and saw a wooden stake jammed into his chest. Tears formed in my eyes and slid down my cheeks. I tried to pull it out and he screamed in pain. "D-Don't t-touch it…" he hissed angrily.

Vestara and I shared a look before she pulled it out without a second thought. His back arched in pain and he clenched his teeth before screeching. He cursed several times in several different languages before finally relaxing onto my lap again. "Anakin, please, don't die," I begged him.

He opened his eyes and stared up at me. "I'm not going to die," he whispered. I turned a little and pulled a piece of broken glass into my hand with the Force. "What are you –? Ahsoka, _no!_" I cut my wrist with the glass shard and placed the wound up against his lips, allowing him to suck my blood to heal himself. He took it willingly and I could see his wounds starting to mend at a snail pace. His fangs were beginning to hurt me, but I couldn't stop or I'd lose him. I wanted him to be one hundred percent _fine._

He sat up a little and licked my wrist. He let me go and bit into his own wrist, offering me his blood now. Vestara watched our blood exchange curiously until Anakin spoke again. "You told me I wouldn't kill her," he whispered. "This is how I _won't _kill her."

"I've just… never seen this before. I didn't think humans…" She paused and stared at me. "Or Togrutas would enjoy our blood. I've heard that our blood was pretty disgusting."

Anakin stared at me and kissed my lips that were coated with his blood still. Then again, his had remnants of my blood as well. "Ahsoka's not one to be scared off so easily. She… knows that it can heal her." I wrapped my arms around Anakin's waist and he actually _let _me. Normally, he'd be the one to hold me. He rested his hand on top of both of mine and leaned his head back against my lek. "Dean's not on our side anymore," he whispered.

Vestara sat in front of us, pulling her knees up to her chest. I could see the loneliness in her eyes because I'd seen something similar in Anakin when I'd pass by him prior to becoming his apprentice. Anakin gripped my hands a little tighter and looked back at me, frowning. "_It's going to hurt her for quite some time_," he whispered into my head.

I rubbed his abdomen with my thumbs and leaned my head against his. "I know. I… I can't imagine how she's feeling right now."

"_I _can't _feel anything from her. She's got herself locked up inside. Just… imagine how you'd feel if you heard that I'd left you, if you thought that I didn't love you enough to stay with you anymore._" I wrapped my arms around him tighter and closed my eyes. He blurred out of my grip and pulled me into his lap. "_I _do _love you, Ahsoka. Don't you ever forget that, okay? I'm incapable of falling out of love with you. You're the only person that's ever felt… _real."

"I love you, too," I whispered.

He smiled down at me before kissing my forehead. He glanced at Vestara and she stared at him for a brief moment. "Vestara, do you –"

"I'm fine, Anakin. Don't worry about me."

"Vestara."

"Anakin."

The two were locked in glares at each other. I saw his lips twitch and I knew they were talking so quietly that I couldn't hear them. I… was kind of jealous that they were able to do that, but it was almost like him and me talking in our minds. Anakin was my boyfriend, but Vestara was like his sister. They shared a similar bond that he and I shared.

Anakin lifted me up into a standing position and I pressed my hands against his chest, wanting his warmth and safety. I let go of him for a moment and backed away as I felt tension between him and Vestara. Once I backed up, Vestara dove at him and hugged him tightly. She began to bawl her eyes out and he held onto her tighter than he's ever held onto me.

He stared over her shoulder and gave me a very sad smile. I could see that the way she felt affected him. He was always like that though, so it wasn't something he did with _just _her. "_I love you_," he whispered to me.

I blew him a silent kiss as Vestara continued to cry. "I love you, too." Eventually, things were going to get better. Unfortunately, those results would require Dean's death, Padme's death, and so much more pain for the two of them. "Anakin, I want to become a vampire."

His eyes widened and he stared at me horrifically, not believing that I'd just said that to him.


	35. Dorm Situations

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

Anakin dragged me out into a more… _secluded _area of the temple and I knew, just from that, that I was in a lot of trouble with him. I never really expressed the fact that I wanted to be like him and we never really acknowledged it because he didn't want to. The fact is, I want to be like him. I want to be able to move like him and fight like him instead of watching him _blur _away from me and be able to do nothing about it.

He stopped and I ran into his back. I groaned as he turned around, glaring daggers at me. "I thought we _weren't _going to talk about this," he whispered. "You promised –"

"You said you thought about turning me. Why can't you?"

"Because I have never turned anyone. I know, firsthand, how it feels to be transforming. I don't want you to feel the pain I felt for several days. _Days_, Ahsoka, not hours. My transformation lasted almost a week because my body wasn't used to it and _couldn't _get used to it."

"We're losing our reinforcements! Padme is _gaining _what we lose, Anakin! We _need _more!"

"I am not turning you!" he screamed. His eyes became a _very _dark red and it scared me. "I _refuse _to turn you. If I really love you, then I _won't _do it."

"If you love me and want to spend the rest of your life with me, then –"

"_Don't._"

"Anakin, please, listen to me," I begged. He turned away, growling quietly. I saw his jaw tighten and his fingers clench tightly until they balled up into a fist. "Padme is getting more vampires for her army. The attack on the temple caused a lot of devastation, but she didn't get you."

"Ahsoka, she had me right where she wanted me."

"She _captured _you, but you _escaped._"

"We're done."

He began to leave and all of my anger boiled up inside of me in that moment. I felt like I could just shove a stake through him, but I loved him more than I was angry at him. I stomped my feet like a child and he turned around, staring at me in surprise. I screamed in aggravation and cried out, "Why do you make these decisions for me?"

He stared at me before blurring towards me. He was now _directly _in front of me and he looked immense in comparison to me. He was at least a whole foot taller than me. "Because these decisions are in regards to your _life._ You're almost sixteen years old."

"For your information, I turn sixteen in two days." That slipped out, but I saw realization dawn on his face. He must have forgotten that my birthday was coming up and I hated the fact that I'd just reminded him. I never really enjoyed birthdays. Then again, perhaps that was because he hadn't been around for most of them. My sixteenth birthday was _extremely _important in the Togruti culture. It was the age where we could marry. I don't know if Anakin knew that or not, but I was… sort of hoping that he'd propose to me by my birthday…

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"For what?"

"I…" I wrapped my arms around him and he sighed. "I'll admit that I've been… distracted and I forgot. I forgot my own not too long ago as well, so it's not like I did this on purpose." He paused for a moment before holding me at arm's length, staring at my face. "In the human culture, we have '_sweet sixteen's. _What do you do on your sixteenth birthday on Shili?"

"Nothing special." He sighed, doubting me. He had a right to doubt me at the moment. I was against celebrating my birthday, especially since he told me we'd missed _his._ "Can we just go back to our dorm or stay in another one until ours is repaired?"

A brief breeze blew past us and we were now standing in an empty dorm with very… _plain _attributes. I smiled up at him and he frowned down at me. "I'm not transforming you for your birthday. I'm sorry."

I shrugged. "I'll –" I zoned out for a moment. His blood was in my system. With his blood in me, I would be able to transform myself if I died. "Give me a moment, please."

"Oh, no you _don't._" He grabbed me and swung me around in his arms as he blurred onto his back on the bed. I giggled at his romantic attempt. He was really cute when he wanted me on the bed. He rubbed the bare part of my skin below my tube top and above my skirt. I felt his excitement rub up against me and I kissed his nose before grabbing his shoulders gently.

The next few hours were blissfully blurred. The way he made my body feel was amazing. I rubbed his bare chest and smiled up at him. His head was propped up by the pillows and he smiled a beautiful smile back at me. He and I finally had a decent routine while we were making love and it didn't hurt me as much as it had to begin with. He was able to give me the maximum amount of love possible with the differences in strength between us. "Ani, I love you."

"I love you," he whispered, running his fingers along one of the blue stripes on my left lek. Silence ensued for several minutes before I crawled on top of him completely. He stared into my eyes, the smile on his lips never faltering. Well, at least until someone began to pound on the door. It flew into the room and Anakin had to practically launch me off of him to throw his hand out and catch the door with the Force.

He sat up and I slid across him, leaning against his side with the blanket pulled up around my body. He glanced at me and told me to – silently – stay put. He blurred away from me and pulled on some pants before arriving at the door. He stepped out cautiously and glanced both ways. He spun around and leapt back onto the bed, snarling as he began to attack Dean.

I bit my lip to hold in my scream before pulling the blanket off of the bed with me as I slid off and ran into the corner of the room.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

Dean had become much stronger recently and I knew what was fueling him. He slammed me against the wall and Ahsoka screamed quietly. I wish she would have left the room. I didn't want her to get hurt because of him. He was feeding on _her _species.

He pinned me down onto the floor, cracking it slightly. He smiled down at me and whispered, "Pathetic, just like Padme said."

"Get away from him!" Ahsoka screamed. I glanced over at her just in time to see her throw a _massive _Force wave towards us. It launched us both at the far wall and I felt her shock. I blurred into a standing position and then back to her before Dean could get up. I stroked her cheeks that were tear stained and I kissed her forehead.

"Please, go get Vestara," I whispered. She nodded and ran out of the room. I spun around and growled at Dean as he faced me. "Do you have _any _idea as to how much pain you've put Vestara through? Do you even _care?_"

He chuckled and dove at me. I grabbed his neck before he could even touch me. "I don't – care about – your toys…" he hissed. He twisted my wrist and flipped me over him, sending me crashing into the floor. A new dent had formed in this dorm's floor and got much worse as he began to pound into my body with his fists. I blurred out of the way and held my ribs that were burning – figuratively. I knelt beside the nightstand, holding it tightly to the point where I snapped the edge. "What's wrong, all powerful Skywalker?" He walked towards me, his red eyes piercing mine. "Not feeding on your girlfriend enough? Don't worry. I'll put her to _good _use once you're out of the way."

It was _now _that I realized his knuckles were covered by gloves with wooden pieces sticking out like spikes. _That _is why he was able to beat me down so easily. The wooden tip of a stake jabbed out of his stomach moments later and I gaped at the fact that it hadn't been done by _Vestara._

He fell forward and Ahsoka stood in his place. She stared at me, her little heart _racing._ I couldn't move at the moment and I was a bloody mess. She stepped over him and ran to me, holding my head against hers. "Ani, talk to me," she said quickly.

"I'm fine," I whispered. She carefully helped me up off of my knees and held me tightly. I stared at her face before kissing the side of her orange skin. "Thank you for being brave, my Soka."

Her heart rate picked up and her lekku stripes darkened in a blush. I smiled warmly at her despite my pain.

**Later.**

Ahsoka came out of the refresher in a beautiful light blue nightgown. I smiled at her blush and asked her if she minded spinning around in a slow circle for me. The blush got much darker on her lekku and I smiled wider before holding my arms out for her. She came closer to me and sat in my lap, nuzzling her face into the crook of my neck.

I felt fear wash out of her and into me and I shuddered. I glanced down at her angelic face. Her eyes were closed and I saw a trembling smile on her lips. I cocked an eyebrow and lifted a hand to stroke the facial marking on her left cheek. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around my neck. I was unable to see her face now, but I felt her tears on my skin. I felt her giving in. She _wanted _to tell me the truth, but she was hesitating. I didn't want to push her because I knew she'd tell me if she wanted to. "Okay, yes," she croaked. She pulled away from my neck, separating us so she could look into my eyes. I gave her my most sincere look, letting her know that I was willing – _more _than willing – to listen to what she needed to say. "I'm afraid that Vestara's gone for good. I'm afraid Dean will hurt her… hurt _you._"

I laid her back down onto the bed and grabbed her hands as I laid beside her. "Ahsoka, Vestara will come back. I…" I reached out into the Force in an attempt to locate her and I felt her _slam _her walls up against me so I couldn't find her. I knew she was fine and I'd know if she wasn't. "Does it make you feel any better if I tell you that I'm able to feel her?"

She stared at me and smiled. "You two formed a bond?"

"I forced her to," I said, chuckling. "I didn't trust her in the beginning. We secretly formed a bond that allowed us to feel one another's emotions and such. It's not a means of communication like our bond is."

She rolled over until she was lying on top of me. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did," I teased. She smirked and kissed the side of my mouth. "Go ahead, my love."

"I know we already covered the 'transforming me into a vampire' thing, but…"

"No."

"Can you, please, just consider it a possibility?"

I stared up at her angrily and she could feel all of the emotions inside of me right now. I didn't want to turn her and I didn't plan on turning her. "Ani, please, I could be so much more useful to you if I was like you. I couldn't kill Dean with the stake because I'm not strong enough," she whispered. "I _need _to be able to keep you alive and I can't do that as a humanoid. I _need _to be a vampire and I want _you _to be the one to turn me."

I saw her lips begin to tremble. I hadn't taken my glare away from her and I hadn't changed my expression at all. I was really upset with her for wanting me to do _this _to her. I could _never _put her through this willingly.

I gently lifted her off of me and put her beside me before turning over, my back to her. I heard her sigh and breathe in a shaky breath. As much as it hurt me to hurt her, I didn't want her to be like me. I wanted her to have a chance – a _better _one than I did. Despite the fact that I'd tried to ignore her altogether, she rolled over to me and draped her arm over my side, placing her hand above my heart. Her warm body pressed up against me and she rested her head against my bare shoulder.

I didn't want to acknowledge her, but I couldn't _not _do it. I gripped her hand gently and squeezed it a little. I felt her warm lips against my skin and I smiled briefly. I smiled a little more as she rubbed my hand with her thumb. As aggravating as she could get with _this _topic, I still loved her. She whispered that she loved me and I repeated her words in a much quieter tone.

Hours passed and I felt her beginning to drift into sleep. When she stopped rubbing my hand, I knew she was asleep. I gently shifted onto my back and she unconsciously shifted herself as well. She laid on my arm and I wrapped it around her. Her hand was in the same position on my chest as it had been before. Her legs were bent above mine and her beautiful face had nuzzled itself into the crook of my neck.

I smiled and closed my eyes, finally feeling that this was the best position for me to fall asleep in.


	36. Beautiful Torment

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

A couple weeks flew by and Anakin had become a little more… _distant._ I knew something was bothering him and he refused to tell me no matter how many times I pestered him to talk to me. Obi-Wan and I spoke about him recently and that didn't end very well. Sometimes I forgot that Anakin could hear me from almost anywhere except the lower portion of the temple, but he would be tipped off before I could even get down there. He told me several times in the last few weeks that he had my scent down pretty well and always knew where I was.

I opened my eyes and glanced around the beautiful terrain in front of me. I was sitting in the grass near a lake on Naboo. Anakin and I had been given time to take a break. He needed it more than he realized and I appreciated the Council giving us two more weeks to relax out here. I watched him stand by the water and just appreciate the way it sparkled. He was fascinated by it only because his eyes could see it in a much more… _attractive _way.

I pulled his robe around me as a cool breeze blew by and I sighed, beginning to shiver. It was late at night, but I told him I wanted to go out with him. I could feel his relaxation from this distance and I loved it. It had been a while since he'd actually felt this way. We'd received no word from Vestara or Padme in quite some time. I knew it hurt him to not hear from Vestara because she was like a sister to him, but he knew why she wasn't contacting him.

"_Do you want to go back to the lake house?_" he whispered in my head.

I stared up at him as he began to turn towards me slowly. I could see the red tint in his eyes from here and it scared me. He hadn't been feeding as often because of whatever was bothering him. I didn't really like being alone with him when his eyes were red. I had this feeling that he would snap my neck at any given moment if I made him mad which is why I hadn't brought up the transformation idea in a little while.

I shook my head and whispered, "No. I'm fine," out loud. I knew he could hear me. I pulled his hood up over my montrals and held it close to my skin. I felt his concern as my teeth began to chatter and he blurred over to me, kneeling before me.

He lifted his flesh hand to my cheek and rubbed my skin. I loved the feeling of his hand without the glove because it was always so warm. "You're freezing," he whispered. He lowered his hands to mine and gently tugged on them to help me up. "Come on. It's getting late. We should probably get some sleep."

I had this sick feeling like he was going to lift me into his arms and sprint back to the lake house, but he surprised me. He intertwined our fingers and held my hand tightly. Well, tight enough so as not to break my bones. He led me slowly back to the lake house. As we walked through the grass, I glanced up at his handsome face to see him smiling. I smiled as well and leaned against him, my montral tips almost poking his head.

We made it back to the lake house a little later and I immediately crawled into bed. I didn't care that I went to bed in the clothes I'd put on this morning. I was too tired and too cold. I heard him chuckle in the doorway as he draped his robe over a small loveseat. He came towards me and I tensed up a little at the way he was looking at me. I could see the hunger in his eyes.

I curled into a ball and watched him as he leaned forward. He pulled the blanket up and tucked it in around me gently before kissing my cheek. He whispered, "I love you," before pulling away slowly. I gripped his fingers and pushed myself up a little bit. He stared at me confusedly and I bit my lip.

"Ani, sit down. We need to talk."

I watched his eyes lose all of their life and my heart sank. I let go of his fingers and he sat down in front of my legs that were now extended past his rear, heading towards the end of the bed. "Did I do something wrong?"

I brushed his hair back so I could see his eyes completely. "Ani, how long has it been since you fed?"

I saw the hesitation in his body and I felt it in his mind. "A few weeks," he whispered. I knew that was the truth. I was actually glad he was telling me the truth this time. Any time I asked about his need for blood, he just dashed the subject and told me to forget about it or rolled over to pretend he went to sleep. "Why? What's wrong?"

I pushed myself up completely and pulled my legs back, bending them behind him. "I'm worried about you. That's all. Can't I be worried about you?" He rested his hand on my knees and stared at me sadly.

"What have I done to worry you?" he whispered.

"You look at me like I'm food sometimes," I said painfully. "I can't do anything against you and I'm –" His eyes immediately darkened and I saw the pain in them as he realized what I was going to say to him. He _never _wanted to hear me say that. His lips parted as he looked away from me and I felt worse than I had in quite some time. I lurched forward and wrapped my arms around his neck, resting my hands on his heart. "Ani, I didn't mean that." I kissed his hair and rubbed his chest slowly, trying to make him forget that I was about to tell him I was afraid of him.

Without any notice whatsoever, I fell forward on the bed and he was gone. I sighed in frustration and buried my face in the bed sheets. I felt like a fool for even _thinking _that I was afraid of him. For all I knew, he wouldn't come back until the very last day we had to spend together here.

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

**The next morning.**

I hugged my knees to my chest as I sat atop a large, grassy hill. I fed all night so I wouldn't hurt Ahsoka. The fact that I'd concerned her and worried her made me feel like a terrible person, so I took care of everything. I watched the sunrise ever so slowly, but I needed it to be slow. The way it made me feel made me realize that I needed to take care of myself in order to take care of Ahsoka. I couldn't afford to hurt her…

I felt her presence coming up behind me and I smiled for a moment, my lips quivering. I could smell her beautiful scent and I wanted her to come to me. She climbed up the hill and sat beside me. I glanced sideways at her and she frowned. "Are you okay?" I nodded and she smiled a little. "I missed you last night. The bed wasn't warm without you in it…"

I straightened up and she swung around slowly, sitting on my legs, facing me. She rested her hands on my shoulders and I held her hips. I tilted my face towards her and she leaned closer, pressing her lips against mine. Once we separated, I smiled widely at her. She giggled and stroked my hair back. "I missed you, too," I whispered.

"I'm sorry that I –"

"Shh," I whispered, pressing my index finger against her soft lips. "You didn't do anything to drive me off. I left to feed and I'm sorry that I didn't come back afterwards. I needed to think about my actions and what I probably put you through because I wasn't feeding when I said I was…"

Her fingers wove through my hair and she kissed my forehead. "I just want you to be honest with me. I get worried about you, Ani."

I closed my eyes and listened to her heartbeat. "Even if I went a year without feeding, I'd _never _hurt you, my Ahsoka," I whispered.

"I know and I was stupid to think that you'd ever do anything to me…"

"You had every reason to believe your thoughts."

She leaned closer and I opened my eyes as I smelled her blood pulsing in her neck. The veins were so visible and smelled so juicy… Without thinking, I bit into her neck like an animal. She screamed horrifically and I just _didn't _stop.

"Anakin, wake up!"

I screamed before lurching into a sitting position on the bed. I was breathing heavily and sweating profusely. Ahsoka touched my shoulder and stared up at me in concern. I looked down at her and quickly pressed my fingers against her neck. I could feel her pulse and her eyes were still their blue tint. "What happened? How did I get back here?" I whispered, my voice hoarse.

"You came back a little bit ago in a daze. You said you were tired after feeding." She sat up and leaned against me, draping her arms around my shoulders. "Did you have a nightmare?"

I sighed and leaned forward, holding my face in the palm of my hand. I wiped my sweat with my thumb and nodded quickly. "Yeah," I forced myself to say. "A pretty _bad _one at that…"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I swallowed subconsciously and nodded, staring into her eyes. She straightened up and crossed her legs, giving me her full attention. I half smiled and gripped her hands, holding them closer to me. "I didn't even realize it was a dream… or a nightmare at first. I remember sitting out in the grasslands, watching the sunrise. You came up to me and we talked. I… fed in the dream, but I _killed _you." Her eyes widened and I felt her heart stop for a brief moment before picking back up at a faster pace. "I didn't see myself kill you, but I knew it was coming. Thank you for waking me up before it happened…"

She stared at me, dumbstruck, and I sighed, leaning forward. I kissed her and she immediately responded. Once the kiss was over, she held the sides of my face. "You'd never kill me," she whispered. I opened my eyes and saw her smiling. Her eyes were still closed. "I believe in you."

"I know you do." She finally opened her eyes and stared into mine lovingly. I shifted and crawled on top of her, gently laying her back down onto the bed. I felt her excitement as I kissed her neck and lekku. Her arms slid between my arms and body and wrapped around to grip my shoulders.

It was here and now that I knew everything I'd been trying to keep from her was _wrong._ I wanted us to spend eternity together. She probably hated me for wanting her to grow up and grow old. I wanted her to have a family, but she'd never leave me. I just wanted Ahsoka to be happy. "Ani?" she whispered against my neck. I didn't realize that I'd stopped kissing her.

I continued pressing my lips against her neck and listened to her laugh lightly and moan. I moved back into a sitting position and pulled her into my lap. I stroked her rear lek as I licked her jaw. I loved the way her skin tasted. She breathed heavily and asked me to love her. "I'm going to love you for the rest of our lives," I whispered.

**A/N: I apologize for not updating in… weeks, but I've had a lot going on and I'm not going to bore you with details. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Also, a friend of mine is going to write a short story based off of **_**Darkness. **_**Her username is Dr. CraneStarWarsRocks1234 (without a space between the Dr. and Crane), so don't hate on her and review that she's taking things from my story. I've given her full permission to do a take from a few chapters in Vestara's point of view. Be sure to check it out! **


	37. The Unexpected

**POV: Anakin Skywalker**

I was losing my mind, worrying endlessly about Vestara. I haven't been able to sense her in well over a month. Ahsoka and I had gone back to Coruscant in hopes of finding her here. Our small leave was over and I wished that I had more time alone with her. I realized that I'd been neglecting her for quite some time after my feeding problem, but things were still pretty strong between us. She insisted on telling me she loved me at every opportunity she could. I loved to hear her say it to me, so I never complained.

She and I were practicing some new techniques I wanted to show her in the training room this morning. I loved the cute outfit she was wearing. It was a bright red coloring and exposed large portions of her beautiful skin. I, however, chose to wear sweats and a white sleeveless shirt. She liked it because of how it showed off my muscles…

She held her hands up in front of her face in a defensive position as we danced around each other. "What does this have to do with vampires?" she asked me after throwing several exhausting punches at me.

I blurred behind her and she spun quickly to block one of my blows. I was trying to be careful with her and I had actually hurt her at one point. "You need to attune your senses. Keep up with me and you can keep up with anyone of my kind."

"You need to attune _your _senses," she teased.

I smirked and blurred around her again. She threw a wave of Force at me and I flew back into the far wall, cracking the wall. I crumpled to the floor and chuckled. "Nicely done."

She giggled and I felt her excitement at the fact that I'd complimented her fighting abilities. "I locked onto you and was able to expect your next move."

She darted over to me and I pushed myself up. She smiled up at me and I couldn't help but stroke the side of her face lightly. "You're getting better. Two hours ago, you wouldn't have been able to catch me."

"What's next, Master Sexywalker?"

I chuckled and watched her stripes darken. "Well, my dearest apprentice…" I trailed off and scooped her into my arms, taking her by surprise. She wrapped her arms around my neck and smiled, exposing her teeth to me.

"Am I interrupting something?"

She jumped in my arms and we both glanced to the side to see Obi-Wan entering the training room. I set her down gently and she gripped my hand, holding it tightly between us. Obi-Wan stepped closer and I growled. "What do you need, _Master?_"

She looked up at me, silently questioning me. I could hear her thoughts wondering why I'd called him Master instead of Obi-Wan. I felt her confusion as well as Obi-Wan's. She squeezed my hand and I refused to return the gesture because my anger towards him might hurt her. Obi-Wan sighed and shook his head. "Anakin, may I speak with you in private?"

"Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it right _here._"

He sighed once again and looked at me in disdain. "I've had _enough _of your games, Anakin. This pathetic game needs to end _now._"

"It'll end once you admit like I asked you to," I said through my teeth.

I felt Ahsoka become a little upset by the conversation in front of her. Although I wanted Obi-Wan to know that he could say anything to me in front of her, I was kind of unsure as to whether or not I should _allow _him to.

"Okay," she finally said, letting go of my hand angrily. "What is going on?"

"Ahsoka, this is between me and Anakin. It's best for you to stay out of –"

"It's best for you to keep your mouth shut," I growled.

He glared at me and Ahsoka groaned in frustration. "If neither of you will explain this issue to me, then I'm done until you work things out. Anakin, I'm moving into a new dorm for the time being which means you're not getting any until this problem is _over._"

I gaped at her as she spun around and stormed out of the training room. The fact that she told me we weren't going to be making love any time soon right in front of Obi-Wan kind of shocked me. For one, I don't think he even knew we were doing that. I glanced at Obi-Wan and he looked shocked as well. "You… her…" he trailed off and glared at me. "I can't believe you did that."

He left as well and I had _no idea _what to say or think. I blurred out of the training room and immediately found Ahsoka. I zoomed in front of her and she crashed into my chest. "Anakin, did you not –"

"I understood you."

"Then why are you here?"

"I want to explain everything to you."

"So that's the kind of guy you are?" she practically screamed at me. "You don't tell me the truth unless I take sex away from you?"

My jaw dropped. "You of all people know that I'm _not _like that," I whispered.

"I don't know who or what you are anymore." She tried to push past me and I didn't let her. I stood my ground and crossed my arms. She sighed, aggravated. "Anakin, knock it off."

"Okay, fine," I said, raising my hands in surrender. I started walking past her and I heard her fighting in her head. She didn't like what she said to me and she didn't want me to go away.

I heard her turn towards me and yell, "I'm sorry!" down the hallway. I stopped and closed my eyes as she began to run towards me. Her arms wound around my waist moments later and I gripped her hands gently. "I didn't mean what I said."

"I meant what I said about not being that kind of guy."

She scooted around me and I opened my eyes to see her giving me an apologetic look. "I know you aren't like that." She moved her hands up to my chest and rubbed above my heart. "You're a wonderful man with a good heart."

"Obi-Wan and I fought because of you."

"What do you mean?"

She looked extremely confused and I sighed. "The only reason anyone has allowed us to stay together and go everywhere together is because I'm a vampire and they're afraid of me. Obi-Wan's getting tired of the way I'm _abusing _the Council. He wants me to wipe your memory and leave you alone even if it makes me unhappy."

"_What?_"

"He's just upset because I can get away with a relationship when he can't."

"I heard what he said to you after I left the training room…"

"He thinks I'm the kind of guy that you labeled me a few moments ago. I…" I paused for a second and stroked her cheeks gently. "I used to be _really _bad with the way I treated girls. It was when my bloodlust came back… shortly before you became my apprentice."

"Oh."

"I told Obi-Wan because I thought I could trust him and he told the Council, so no one trusted me. They had me on major lockdown for a few months and only gave me animal blood every once in a while. It was pure torture for me, but I did it so I could regain their trust."

She stroked the sides of my face and gently pulled me closer, kissing my lips gently. "They trust you, Ani. I trust you, too and I always will." I gently wrapped my arms around her as I continued to kiss her. "_I love you,_" she whispered into my thoughts.

She got a little more vigorous as she forced me to move back towards the wall. She slammed my back against a wall and I groaned like she wanted me to. She grabbed the hem of my shirt and started pulling it up. I moaned quietly as she kissed my jaw and slid her hands along my abs.

I lifted my arms without thinking about it and she pulled the shirt over my head and tossed it down onto the floor. She gripped my sweatpants and I moaned again. "Are you sure we should be doing this?" I whispered, opening my eyes so I could see her. She was rubbing herself against me lovingly, making us _both _excited in the process. I gently gripped her lekku and rubbed the tips with my thumbs.

"Do you not want to?"

"We're exposed to _everyone._"

"You're the only one that's exposed," she teased. I smirked as she began to kiss my jaw again, nibbling on it gently.

Someone cleared their throat and we both jumped a little. Ahsoka jumped a bit more than I did because she was easily startled. Master Yoda stood before us. Ahsoka bit her lip and let go of me before backing away slightly. "Disturbing and expected, this is."

"Master –"

"Silence, Padawan." My insides wanted to react to her being called a Padawan, but that _was _her ranking. I hoped that she'd become a Knight before she realized it and I hoped I could make her a Jedi that would go down in history for future generations to learn about and admire. "Master Skywalker, a word with you, I would like."

"Yes, Master," I whispered. I pulled my shirt into my hand with the Force and quickly slid it on before following the short Master. I motioned for Ahsoka to stay put and she nodded, concern in her beautiful, blue eyes. He and I walked down a few hallways until we reached a meditation chamber. I kept my bond with Ahsoka open just in case. I had a very bad feeling all of a sudden. "Master?" I asked once he stopped in the center of the room and took a seat.

"Be seated, Skywalker." I swallowed and did as he told me to. I walked towards the center and sat in front of him, crossing my legs in a meditative position. I rested my hands on my legs and watched him carefully. "Gone around, a disturbing rumor has."

"What might that be?"

I felt something odd in my head and I groaned quietly, trying to push it aside. The feeling intensified with Master Yoda's silence and I groaned a lot louder. I didn't like that he wasn't answering me and I didn't like the pain I was feeling. I felt like my body was being burned and staked. I threw myself up into a standing position and that was as far as I could go. The pain I felt right now didn't allow me to sense anything or see clearly.

I screamed and collapsed before writhing in agony on the floor. I heard the chamber doors slam shut, sealing us in and everyone else out. "Ahsoka!" I screamed in my head. "It's a trap! Find Obi-Wan!"

I felt her panic and I tried to soothe her by not thinking about my pain, but that task was difficult in itself. I felt Yoda's short form transform and become larger, taller. "My, my, look what I've found."

Despite the fact I was in unbelievable and unbearable pain, I recognized the voice. I'd only met him once before in my lifetime and I'd hoped, for my sake and everyone else's, that I'd _never _have to meet him again. I cried out and I heard him crouch down in front of me. "Get… away," I hissed.

"You needn't be that way with me, young man. Is that any way to treat your father?"

"You are _not _my – _agh!_" I screamed and threw my head back. My entire body arched off of the floor with the snap of his fingers.

"Don't talk to me that way. I never liked your attitude. I don't know what my darling Padme saw in you, but I'm sure I'll find out one way or another." He chuckled and I felt his fingers run through my hair before sliding down the scar near my right eye. "It's been a pleasure seeing you again, Anakin. I'm hoping we'll be able to spend more time together. I have your '_sister,_' but I'd like to have a family gathering."

I groaned and forced my eyes to open as he let my body crash against the marble floor. "I'll kill you if you hurt Vestara," I said through my teeth.

"Bring your mate and I'll bring mine and your siblings. Take care, my son."

He vanished in a blur and I screamed in agony as he sent a surge of pain through me one last time. The chamber doors open and I threw my hands away from my body. Electricity coursed through my mechanical hand and it shook slightly as I gritted my teeth.

I felt Ahsoka and Obi-Wan enter the room. Ahsoka's hands rested on my chest and she whispered things I couldn't understand. Obi-Wan began to worry and got louder than Ahsoka, leaning in towards me. There was nothing that I could comprehend before giving in to the darkness.


	38. Family Ties

**POV: Ahsoka Tano**

Anakin was beginning to scare me to death with the way his anger came and went in a matter of moments. One second, he was throwing cargo in the back of the ship across the landing bay and the next, he was sitting calmly beside me. Obi-Wan opted to put the two of us on his flagship, _The Negotiator._ Anakin wanted to take the _Twilight_ or _Resolute, _but Obi-Wan just wouldn't let him. He wanted to make sure we had plenty of backup in case things go wrong on Naboo. Whoever hurt Anakin had given him coordinates to meet with them outside of Theed.

He was sitting beside me right now and I couldn't keep myself from staring at him every now and then, just waiting for him to blow up again. I was surprised that he hadn't destroyed the hull of the ship yet with the way he acted when he was angry. He made a few nice dents that irritated Obi-Wan, but everyone just left him alone for the time being.

His head was leaning back against the hull of the ship and I smiled weakly at how nice he looked with his eyes closed. I leaned closer to him and kissed his cheek gently. I watched his lips curve into a small smile before he whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, Ani."

He sat up and moaned a little as he stretched and opened his eyes. Once he'd finished stretching, he came closer and kissed my lips lovingly. "I have something for you that I _need _you to wear while we're on Naboo. I don't want anything to happen to you…"

His mouth was inches from mine and I loved the feeling of his breath as it embraced my face. "What is it?" He reached into a compartment on his belt and pulled out a ring. I gasped quietly and lifted my eyes to his.

"I know that there's always a better time and place for these things which is why I'm not saying anything right now about _this, _but the perfect time will come for us to have that conversation. Had things been different, I would be asking you to be my wife right now…" We both sat up straighter to give each other some space. "For right now, I want you to pretend that I didn't give you an engagement ring. I mean, it _is _an engagement ring, but I haven't proposed because this is the worst time to do so. Once this blows over, I'll give you your dream proposal."

He took my hand and slid the ring onto the proper finger slowly and I smiled widely at him. I never once thought he'd give me an engagement ring and I never thought he'd know about how I wanted my proposal to go. He was _always _full of surprises. "Why are you giving me this now if you're waiting for a better time?"

"It has a special vampire repellant in it. If one of them bites you, they'll instantly be revolted and paralyzed." My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. I knew he was protective, but _wow._ "I want you by my side, Ahsoka. I don't want to dig your grave because I _love _you."

I nodded and he took both of my hands in his before kissing me again. "Thank you, Ani."

"I'm just doing what I have to in order to keep you alive, my love," he whispered.

I fidgeted with the ring before sliding it off and placing it on the seat beside me. He gave me a puzzled look and I moved my left lek a bit, giving him the silent signal. He looked hungry and I knew he'd need more strength than he'd let on before. He taught me how to capture a vampire with the Force which meant I could help him in some fashion, but he needed to be able to take down Dean and Padme at the same time. My blood was perfect for that because Togrutas were the best form of strength.

He looked upset and felt upset, but he gave in because he heard my thoughts loud and clear. He wanted to keep me alive and I wanted to keep _him _alive. He came closer again and gently sank his fangs into my neck, sucking out as much blood as he could without killing me. We completed our blood transfers and stared into each other's eyes. I stroked the side of his face and smiled at him. "I love you, Anakin."

"I –"

"_Anakin, we've arrived on Naboo. There's a shuttle being prepared for you and Ahsoka in the landing bay. Make your way there shortly._"

Anakin cursed in Huttese and I leaned against his chest. His arms wound around me and I closed my eyes. "Can you tell me who asked you to come here?"

"My father," he whispered. He sneered when he said father and I gave him a puzzled look. "He's the oldest and very first vampire. He created Padme as his mate for eternity and she betrayed him to create me when he forbid her from making other monsters like us." I opened my eyes to look up into his angry ones. "He's been hunting me since Padme made it known that she'd claimed me as her eternal mate. That, however, wasn't the case."

"She kept cheating on you for others…" I whispered.

"She was bound to him. She was supposed to obey him at any cost and she didn't, so he grew angry over the centuries. He learned about my identity and began to kill off my bloodline in an attempt to lure me out."

I stared at him confusedly. "What do you mean your bloodline? I thought you were the only child your mother had."

"I… didn't do anything with anyone, but I had helped a couple with their pregnancy issue…" He stopped and closed his eyes. "I had a biological son that I never got to know because I wasn't supposed to and he and his parents were killed because of _me._ My son had a family and they were also killed because of me."

I silently began to cry as I felt his anguish rising. He'd never told me this before and, judging by the way he was feeling, he hadn't told _anyone _before me. I felt honored that he felt he could tell me all of this and I couldn't help but sympathize for him. He'd carried so much guilt over the years… He sighed and I rubbed his chest. "I'm so sorry, Ani," I whispered, my voice shaking.

"I'm afraid that things will go wrong. Vestara, Dean, and I weren't meant to be created. He says we're his children, but he's been trying to kill me since the dawn of my eternal life and now he has the three of us right where he wants us."

"I won't let you get hurt, Ani. I'll do everything in my power to help you."

"Just put your ring back on and you'll keep me sane." He grabbed the ring and slipped it onto my finger. "We'd best get going now." We stood up and he took my hand. "Also, whatever you do, try not to talk too much about yourself in front of Renault. He tends to like Togrutas more than humans."

I nodded and we made our way to the hangar where Obi-Wan met us. Obi-Wan knew that this man on Naboo was a threat to Anakin and he was uneasy about letting us go without a battalion or two of clones backing us up. Obi-Wan and Anakin stood before each other and I felt the tension between both of them until Anakin let me go and wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan, giving him a brotherly hug. The older looking man was surprised by the gesture, but returned it.

I watched as Obi-Wan's face went from surprise to sadness and he nodded. I gaped at Anakin, knowing he'd said something to him that I hadn't been able to hear. Anakin pulled back and rested his hands on Obi-Wan's shoulders, "I'll keep the channel open so you can hear us. Just be ready in case we need you, my brother."

The two said their good-byes and good lucks before Anakin and I boarded the small shuttle. He flew us down to the planet and we sat in the cockpit for a moment longer before standing and bumping into each other. "Ladies first," he whispered. I stepped ahead of him and wrapped my arms around his waist tightly as he came closer. "Everything's going to be fine. It's three of them versus three of us and Obi-Wan's flagship."

He kissed me before we left and were met by an older looking man with grayed hair and a beard similar to Obi-Wan's. "Oh, goodie. You've brought your mate as I requested." His eyes drifted away from Anakin and landed on me and I tensed up against Anakin's side.

"Where's Vestara?" Anakin growled.

"Relax, my boy. You'll see your family soon enough. Now, come. We must feed your poor mate. She looks starved. You still can't take care of the women you care most about."

I went into Anakin's mind even though he told me not to with a look and I eased his mind by giving him some of my thoughts that I was having about him at the moment. To be honest, he was more than just relaxed now. I smiled weakly at him and glanced down at his lower half, cocking an eye marking. "_You did that to me,_" he whispered into my mind.

Several minutes passed as we followed Renault through the outskirts of Theed. He led us to a bunker that was located below ground. I stayed as close to Anakin as I possibly could without tipping Renault off that I was solely dependent on him even though I'm sure it was _obvious._ I couldn't do much against them and neither could he. The most I could do was offering my blood for paralysis and have him rip them to shreds since they were unable to move. We stopped in a dining room where Vestara's wrists were locked onto an old fashioned, wooden chair. There were two chairs directly across from the other. One had Padme in a similar situation as Vestara and the other must've been for Renault since it was at the head. Dean was shackled beside Vestara and there were two empty seats for Anakin and me.

We slowly and cautiously moved towards our seats and sat in them. Anakin kept his arms on the table in front of him rather than on the armrests and he silently urged me to do the same. Renault took a seat and smiled at us. The other four vampires sneered at him and I practically cowered in my seat. "Anakin and his beloved have finally joined us, my children. Let us celebrate since it has been so long since he's been in these halls."

I glanced at Anakin and he lowered his head. "What did that –?"

"_I gave myself up at one time after Padme left me._ _I came back recently in search of an artifact that belongs to him and I couldn't find it because he'd hidden it._"

"Oh."

I saw the longing look in Vestara's eyes as she stared directly at Anakin. It wasn't the type of longing that I had for him. She obviously knew something we didn't and there was no way she could tell us without getting the others involved as well. He gave her a sideways glance and I briefly saw his lips twitch. I knew he wouldn't say anything aloud, so he quickly mouthed something to her.

"Bring our dinner, slaves," Renault called out. I had a sick feeling in my stomach. Being that I was surrounded by vampires, I could only imagine that their _dinner _wasn't something I'd eat. I was absolutely correct. Out came several young Togrutas, some younger than me.

I nearly screamed until Anakin stood up, flipping his chair backwards. "This is _not _a welcome," he growled.

I placed my hand on his back and rubbed him slowly. "Be seated, _child._"

"My mate is Togruti and this is _offensive _to _both _of us."

"I figured she wouldn't be interested and nor would you, so you could feed off of each other."

"Ani, sit," I whispered. "_Please._"

He pulled the chair back with the Force and sat down before several minutes of pure torture passed for us both. I cried against his chest and he kept his hands over the most sensitive part of my montrals so I wouldn't be able to hear the screams of my people as they were slaughtered like animals. I felt Anakin's pain and I wished I could do something about that…

Once it was all over, he removed his hands and kissed my forehead. "Now, I understand there's tension between you three and your mother?"

Vestara was the only other one in the room that had been able to resist feeding on the Togrutas and she had come to stand behind Anakin's chair, resting her hand on his shoulder. I saw her messing with his hair a little before returning her hand to his shoulder once again. "I don't think of her as my mother," Vestara growled at Renault.

Anakin's eyes were locked on me and I could feel the tension building up inside of him. He was practically waiting for something to go wrong and I hoped beyond hope that nothing would for our sake. The odds weren't too good. I might be able to take Dean or Padme out of the fight, but that would leave Renault for Anakin and Vestara to deal with. I didn't think the two of them were strong enough and I didn't want anything to happen to either of them.

"She _is _your mother. She created you, _child._"

Anakin growled and I clenched my teeth, knowing that he was going through a lot of emotional turmoil. He locked portions of himself away inside of his head and I wished I could break that barrier to get to him. His fangs and Vestara's fangs were bared and I suddenly felt afraid. "Renault, they were merely –"

"_Silence,_" he growled at Padme. I felt Anakin's shock burst out of him like an explosion. His face eased up and he stared at his _father. _I knew what was going through his head and it wasn't good. Padme was afraid of Renault and he basically commanded her. If that witch was afraid, there was nearly no hope left for any of us. "Anakin, what have you to say of your mother?"

I watched his eyes grow darker and fill with hatred. "A mother doesn't do to her children what Padme did to me," he growled. I could feel the loathing inside of him as he stared Padme down. She kept her eyes away from his, which surprised me. Normally, she'd be looking to pick a fight with Anakin.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, Renault had launched himself across the table and Anakin was pinned against a cement wall behind me. I screamed once I saw how much pain he was in. I covered my mouth and Vestara was at my side immediately. Anakin was gasping and trying to break free of the grip on his neck. "Don't insult her before me. You may be older than your siblings, but you stand no chance against me."

My heart leapt into my throat as Anakin was shoved into the ground, shattering parts of it as he collided with the durasteel. Vestara growled and dove at Renault. She futilely tried to fight him and Anakin broke free finally. He snarled like an animal and his eyes were bright red as he grabbed Renault and flipped him. Renault broke through the center of the long table and I stood up quickly and backed away. Padme stared at Anakin and Vestara prior to Dean leaping to his father's defense. He stood beside him and made sure he was all right. Dean couldn't do anything against Vestara _or _Anakin, so he chose to be passive.

Anakin fell to his knees and clutched his head, screaming in agony. Before anything else happened, Vestara was in the same position. Both of them screamed and writhed. Anakin was more aggressive in his movements. He got up and tried to fight what Renault was doing to him and I couldn't even imagine what was happening to him.

He turned on me and I feared him for a whole two seconds only because of the way he looked at me. I realized that it wasn't hunger. It was _desperation._ I glanced at his comlink on the floor and pulled it into my hands subtly and almost pressed a button to com Obi-Wan, but Anakin shook his head. He just wanted me to have the com in case we _needed _help.

Anakin's pain continued and I decided that I couldn't just sit here and watch him suffer. I focused all of my Force powers on Renault and spun around before releasing a massive Force wave in his direction. He hadn't been expecting that from me, so he flew back in pure shock. Anakin and Vestara stopped screaming and Anakin was by my side a moment later, his arms wound around me protectively.

I feared what Renault was going to do to them. Padme was obviously unwilling to fight with us, but I could see in her eyes that she wanted to fight against Renault. Vestara stood beside Anakin and the two of them growled under their breaths. "My, my," Renault laughed, standing up to brush dust off of his shoulders. "You've taught your mate well, my son. That may be your ultimate demise as I snap her neck." Anakin's rage was past its barrier. He normally had a limitation for his emotions, but this was too far gone. He hated Renault more than he hated Padme. "I have rooms assigned for you. We'll continue our reunion tomorrow. Go relax, my children. Padme, you will come with me."

Anakin's arms slowly unwound from my body and I grabbed his hand, not wanting to let him go in anyway. He slowly led me away from Renault, his caution becoming the second highest feeling in him. Vestara came with us, standing on my opposite side.

We made it all the way to our dorm without being followed or attacked, so I felt relieved. Anakin, clearly, didn't feel the same way. He sat on the bed and held me as tightly as he could without hurting me. "I'm _never _going to let him touch you," he whispered angrily. "And that's a _promise._"


	39. Not a chapter update

**A/N: Okay, so this story has been taking a pretty nice beating from all of you anonymous reviewers. I understand that you don't like the story. That's all great and fine. If you're going to criticize it, give me some feedback via private messages and we'll talk. If you're going to be REALLY inappropriate with terms used in reference to either myself or my story, then what exactly is the point in reviewing? It's not that hard to just close the story and read something you absolutely enjoy. If you don't like the story, don't read it. It's that simple. :) **

**Essentially, I write what I want to write and it's that simple as well. If you don't like the way I write or what I write, read someone else's fanfics or go buy a book you'd like to read.**

**As for those of you saying **_**Darkness **_**is exactly like **_**Twilight,**_** cool. I understand that you don't like **_**Twilight.**_** You have your own opinions and I respect that, but to call my story **_**Twilight **_**when it's not is really unnecessary. Again, if you don't like what I'm writing, read something else. If you think it's like **_**Twilight **_**because Ahsoka wants to be a vampire, then okay. So be it. This in **_**no way **_**is written to copy or reference **_**Twilight. **_**Anakin doesn't sparkle and Ahsoka isn't as weak and pathetic as Bella. Ahsoka will fight for herself unless there's no chance because she's up against other vampires.**

**I'd really appreciate some **_**real **_**feedback on how I can either improve or further your interest in the story via private messages. Leaving immature reviews just makes you look immature even if you're hiding behind an anonymous review that will be deleted (especially if it's really inappropriate).**

**Sorry to those of you who expected an actual chapter instead of a rant. I'm just a little frustrated with having to delete immature reviews. If you've got an issue with my story, write me personally and we can talk. I refuse to quit writing this story just because some of you think it's like **_**Twilight **_**or doesn't meet your standards. My updates are slow because I have a personal life that comes before my fanfiction life.**

**Thanks so much to all of you who continue to leave positive reviews and follow this story. I'm sorry that my updates are so sparse lately, but I'll be working on this to the end! I may not immediately start on **_**Darkness 2 **_**because I want to focus on **_**A Lover's Choice,**_** but I **_**will **_**write more for this as well as its sequel when I get inspiration to write a chapter that **_**I **_**like. Thank you for all of your support and I hope you continue to enjoy my stories!**


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